During the City Council Public Safety Committee meeting on May 6, 2024, Captain Jake Fouts of the Snoqualmie Fire Department presented a comprehensive report on the fire that occurred on April 14 in downtown Snoqualmie.
This fire devastated a nearly century-old commercial building that housed local businesses Chickadee Bakeshop, Littlest Wishes Photography, Snoqualmie Ice Cream, and Snoqualmie Pie Company.
According to the report by the King County Fire Investigator, the fire likely started from an exterior wall-mounted light. Security video from a neighboring building was crucial in identifying the fire’s origin.
Fouts estimated that the fire smoldered for about four hours before breaking through the building’s exterior, spreading to the interior walls and attic, and growing large enough to be visible to a passerby who then alerted the authorities.
The fire resulted in a significant loss, with the property damage estimated at $835,000 and additional losses of contents valued at $500,000. However, the prompt action of the firefighters helped save adjacent buildings in downtown Snoqualmie, preserving property worth approximately $1.25 million.
Captain Fouts’ detailed presentation on the fire can be viewed during the Snoqualmie Public Safety Committee meeting held on May 6, starting at the 19:50 mark in the video.
-Information provided the City of Snoqualmie
