The cause of a fatal fire at a roofing business west of Kalispell remained under investigation Wednesday.

Authorities confirmed that one man died in the multi-alarm fire that tore through the structure on Fenn Way on Tuesday morning.  

The victim's name was not released, but Smith Valley Fire Chief Amy Beick said his next of kin had been notified and that the property was turned over to the family. 

The victim's body was recovered from the remains of Neu-Tech Roofing’s metal warehouse that was deemed a total loss. No other people were inside the structure when the fire broke out, Beick said.  

Fire crews returned Wednesday morning to confirm there were no hotspots smoldering at the property. 

The Flathead County Sheriff's Detective Division was working with Smith Valley Fire and the Flathead County Fire Investigation Team to determine the cause and origin of the fire. 

The blaze was first spotted by landscapers working at the forthcoming Ashley Creek Park just south of the property. They rushed over to the burning warehouse and attempted to rescue the victim trapped inside, Beick said. 

Kalispell Fire Department was dispatched at 9:49 a.m., with Smith Valley Fire called to respond as mutual aid.   

The blaze was initially reported to be on the 1500 block of Second Street West in Kalispell, which prompted confusion until the location was corrected while units were en route, according to a Smith Valley Fire statement.  

Crews were also informed that a person was potentially inside the building, prompting two additional medical units to respond.   

By the time firefighters arrived, the metal warehouse was engulfed in flames. Bystanders reported that at least one victim remained trapped inside the structure, according to information from Smith Valley Fire.  

A South Kalispell Fire command unit was first on the scene at 9:52 a.m., followed by crews with Kalispell Fire Department. Smith Valley Fire units arrived at 10:20 a.m., as the department was responding to a separate fire incident, according to Beick.   

Because of the intensity of the blaze, crews doused flames from outside the building and could not immediately enter to search for victims due to the possibility of the building collapsing. The fire was brought under control at about 11:45 a.m., and firefighters remained at the scene for mop-up operations until 5:15 p.m. 

The structure was considered a total loss, although firefighters were able to protect several vehicles, equipment and neighboring structures. 

Beick praised the automatic and mutual-aid response. More than 30 firefighters and law enforcement officers responded to the scene, she said. Responding agencies included Kalispell, South Kalispell, Evergreen, Smith Valley and Whitefish fire departments.   

Pizza from Little Caesars and ice from Smith's Food and Drug in Kalispell were donated to crews during the effort, Beick said. 

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 406-758-4407 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.