Authorities say a fire that destroyed a furniture store in Columbia Falls this weekend may have been intentionally set.
Melby’s Home Interiors on U.S. Highway 2 in Columbia Falls burned down early Sunday morning. Officials say the building and all of its contents are a total loss.
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is seeking any possible information regarding the fire on Sept. 27.
Sheriff Chuck Curry said evidence suggests the fire may have been intentionally set. Police officers took photographs of the scene when they arrived.
According to the sheriff’s office, the fire was first reported at 5:40 a.m., Sunday. Initially, the fire was confined to a small storage building at the rear of the store, but it quickly spread to the attic of the main store. Firefighters from Columbia Falls, Whitefish, Evergreen and Bad Rock all responded to the blaze.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who may have seen activity around the store in the early morning hours of Sept. 27 to call (406) 758-5585.