Dave Cole of the stat Department of Natural Resources stands in front of the burned-out building in Forks on Monday. Lonnie Archibald/Peninsula Daily News

Dave Cole of the stat Department of Natural Resources stands in front of the burned-out building in Forks on Monday. Lonnie Archibald/Peninsula Daily News

Salvaging effort starts at burned DNR building in Forks

FORKS — A 20-foot container was due to arrive at the state Department of Natural Resources’ Olympic Region complex Monday to help store salvaged items from a Jan. 2 fire that destroyed a 7,500-square-foot DNR building.

The building contained a warehouse, shop, six offices, a fire engine that was severely damaged and three vehicles that cannot be repaired.

An eight-person recovery team, including seven Olympic Region employees from outside of the Forks area, also was slated to arrive Monday to assist in recovery efforts.

An investigation into the cause of the 12:19 a.m. Jan. 2 blaze at 411 Tillicum Lane ended Friday, DNR spokesman Dave Cole said Monday.

Cole said did not know the result of the investigation.

West End Fire District No. 1 has jurisdiction over the investigation, DNR Director of Communications Bryan Flint said.

District No. 1 Chief Bill Paul did not return calls for comment Monday.

DNR Law Enforcement Chief Larry Raedel said the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the fire scene.

ATF Public Information Officer Cheryl Bishop confirmed that an ATF agent was at the fire scene Friday at the request of DNR and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.

Bishop said the results of ATF investigations are turned over to local authorities, who can release the reports at their discretion.

Cole said he took it as a good sign that DNR is being allowed to remove any salvageable items from the warehouse, shop and offices.

That could indicate that authorities believe arson was not involved and do not consider the site a potential crime scene that should be protected from disturbance, Cole said.

There were no injuries reported in the blaze.

The blaze consumed the 7,500-square-foot building at the agency’s 20-acre complex east of U.S. Highway 101, one of the largest DNR regional offices in the state.

There are 70 people employed at the DNR complex, which now has eight buildings on the acreage.

It includes a community meeting room building that was not damaged.

DNR staff stationed in Forks cover an area that includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and stretches from Aberdeen in Grays Harbor County to near the Mason County line.

The building and its contents are insured for $2.4 million.

An insurance company investigator was slated to arrive this week, possibly Monday, Cole said.

A $100,000 fire engine was seriously damaged, and three pickup trucks valued at about $75,000 destroyed, Cole said.

The fire engine, which was still in the charred building Monday, may no longer be usable.

“From what I can see, the top half of it is pretty well burnt,” Cole said, adding that some red paint is still visible on the vehicle.

A replacement DNR fire engine has been brought on site and it ready for use, he added.

“It’s the same kind of wildland firefighting truck,” Cole said.

Employees who worked at the warehouse building have been moved to other offices on the DNR complex, he added.

The destroyed structure was built in 1958.

The fire was the fourth major blaze in the Forks area since Oct. 29, when the historic former Odd Fellows hall and the adjacent former Dazzled by Twilight souvenir store were destroyed.

Three weeks later, on Dec. 19, fire struck the manufactured home of Mike Walter Schulze, 54, of 853 Palmer Road, about a mile east of Forks.

The body of the self-employed mechanic was found near the bedroom.

Early Dec. 19, a fire consumed an unoccupied mobile home on Richwine Road four miles west of 3 Rivers Resort.

Authorities said none of the three fires that preceded the Jan. 2 blaze was suspicious.

Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Residents of various manufactured home parks applaud the Sequim City Council’s decision on Dec. 9 to approve a new overlay that preserves manufactured home parks so that they cannot be redeveloped for other uses. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim preserves overlay for homes

Plots can be sold, but use must be same

A ballot box in the Sequim Village Shopping Center at 651 W. Washington St. now holds two fire suppressant systems to prevent fires inside after incidents in October in Vancouver, Wash., and Portland, Ore. A second device was added by Clallam County staff to boxes countywide to safeguard ballots for all future elections. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Political party officials fine with Clallam’s loss of bellwether

With election certified, reps reflect on goals, security

For 20-plus years, Bob and Kelly Macaulay have decorated their boat and dock off East Sequim Bay Road for Christmas, seen here more than a mile away. However, the couple sold their boat earlier this year. (Doug Schwarz)
Couple retires Christmas boat display on Sequim Bay

Red decorations lit up area for 20-plus years

Hurricane Ridge day lodge funding held up in Congress

The fate of $80 million in funding to rebuild… Continue reading

Judy Davidson, left, and Kathy Thomas, both of Port Townsend, look over the skin care products offered by Shandi Motsi of Port Townsend, one of the 20 vendors at the second annual Procrastinators Craft Fair at the Palindrome/Eaglemount Cidery on Friday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Procrastinators Market

Judy Davidson, left, and Kathy Thomas, both of Port Townsend, look over… Continue reading

Services could be impacted by closure

Essential workers won’t get paid in shutdown

A now-deceased male cougar was confirmed by Panthera and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife staff to have been infected with Avian influenza on the Olympic Peninsula. (Powell Jones/Panthera)
Two cougars infected with bird flu die

Risk of human infection still low, CDC says

D
Readers contribute $58K to Home Fund to date

Donations can be made for community grants this spring

Jefferson Elementary School in Port Angeles designated Thursday dress up like a candy cane day. Back row, from left to right, they are: Wyatt Farman, Ari Ownby, Tayo Murdach, Chloe Brabant, Peyton Underwood, Lola Dixon, River Stella (in wheelchair), Fenja Garling, Tegan Brabant, Odessa Glaude, Eastyn Schmeddinger-Schneder. Front row: Ellie Schneddinger-Schneder, Cypress Crear, Bryn Christiansen and Evelyn Shrout. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Dress like a candy cane

Jefferson Elementary School in Port Angeles designated Thursday dress up like a… Continue reading

EYE ON THE PENINSULA: Jefferson commissioners to meet on Monday

Meetings across the North Olympic Peninsula

A 40-year-old Quilcene man died and a 7-year-old boy was airlifted to a Seattle hospital after the car in which they were riding collided with the back of a school bus on Center Road on Friday morning. (East Jefferson Fire Rescue)
One dies in two-vehicle collision involving school bus

A 40-year-old Quilcene man died and a 7-year-old boy was… Continue reading

Iris McNerney of from Port Townsend is like a pied piper at the Port Hudson Marina. When she shows up with a bag of wild bird seed, pigeons land and coo at her feet. McNerney has been feeding the pigeons for about a year and they know her car when she parks. Gulls have a habit of showing up too whenever a free meal is available. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Feeding the birds

Iris McNerney of from Port Townsend is like a pied piper at… Continue reading