Officials say three downtown Snoqualmie fires in one night were the work of an arsonist.
The fires were reported in the early morning hours of June 30. The first fire was reported just after 2 a.m. at the Snoqualmie Depot of the Northwest Railway Museum on Railroad Avenue.
The fire was set inside a plastic garbage can outside of the Depot’s freight room. The fire climbed along the exterior wall of the building. It triggered the building’s automatic sprinkler system, which reduced the intensity of the fire.
Snoqualmie firefighters arrived on the scene about five minutes after the sprinklers were activated and quickly extinguished the fire.
“We’re very thankful for the sprinkler system. It probably saved that building,” Snoqualmie Fire Chief Bob Rowe said.
An e-mail from museum CEO Richard Anderson described the damage to the building, noting that the fire damaged about 100 square feet of siding, melted speaker wires, charred two deck boards and caused smoke damage to the building. Anderson said that the museum was working quickly to repair the damage and continue with its preparations for the Day Out With Thomas event that begins next week.
The fire at the depot was the first of three fires in downtown Snoqualmie early on June 30.
The second fire occurred at the Bella Vita Spa and Salon across the street from the depot at just before 4 a.m. Chief Rowe described this fire as more significant. The fire at the hair salon was set in a recycling bin that was against the rear wall outside the building. The building did not have sprinklers and the fire did extensive damage to the back wall of the building.
Rowe said that Fall City firefighters assisted with the second fire.
A third fire was set at about the same time as the fire at the salon in a recycling bin behind Snoqualmie’s City Hall. However, the rear of the city hall building is concrete and it did not do much damage to the building, other than scaring the wall.
Rowe said that three fires in one night were unusual for Snoqualmie. The chief said that these were the first cases of arson in the area since a fire was set in a portable toilet about four months ago.
The damage is estimated to be about $13,000, Rowe said.
The King County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the three fires, and a $10,000 reward has been offered for information about the fire. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-55ARSON
Reach reporter Michael Bayless Rowe at [email protected] or 392-6434, ext. 248.
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