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Pagosa Springs healing after Adobe Building fire

‘One of the greatest business disasters we’ve had’

PAGOSA SPRINGS – Four days after a massive fire destroyed a historic downtown Pagosa Springs building, businesses that occupied it are struggling to find space to reopen quickly and replace hard goods.

Sixteen businesses lost their homes when a fire that caught around 1 a.m. Saturday at the Adobe Building, 425 Lewis St., enveloped the building.

Some have found temporary space, including Axis Health System, which has provided service since Monday in the Catholic Education Center at 462 Lewis St.

The Adobe Building housed multiple medical and mental health practices, and any items recovered from the blaze that could contain sensitive client information will be reviewed.

“Any computers or files, for example, are collected and reviewed by the business before they’re disposed of,” said Sarada Leavenworth, a spokeswoman for Axis.

On Wednesday, former tenants Marcie Lewis, who runs an insurance agency, and Beth O’Dowd, who has a massage therapy practice, stood beside what’s left of the building and interviewed with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which is investigating the incident.

Lewis, a tenant since 2010, said she found out about the fire when another occupant texted her.

“Everyone is in the process of trying to relocate, trying to recover computer data,” she said.

“Our chamber (of commerce) has been super helpful,” added O’Dowd, an occupant since 2011. She said other businesses also have found ways to help, such as providing laptops to businesses affected by the fire.

Pagosa Fire Protection District and ATF crews picked through charred remains with a backhoe on Wednesday as they continue to investigate.

“We’ve had firefighters keep an eye on it 24/7, and crews have worked on it 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” Pagosa Fire Protection District Chief Randy Larson said. A small flare up occurred early Tuesday, and it was extinguished.

Lisa Meiman, ATF spokeswoman, said Wednesday the agency has not identified a cause and could not say when a report will be released.

“After today, our work is pretty much done,” Pagosa Springs Fire Marshal Zach Richardson said Wednesday. “Today, we’re trying to access the back side of the (Bear Creek Saloon and Restaurant) kitchen, where we think it originated.”

Richardson said when he arrived at the fire in Saturday’s early hours, he knew it was a total loss as he watched walls collapse.

“The smoke looked like the whole town was on fire,” said Michael Branch, a CPA whose office is across the street.

The building, which dates back about 115 years, was one of Pagosa Springs’ biggest commercial spaces, and it saw many transitions over the decades.

“My brother (Doug Sutton) bought it in the early ’70s when it was a hotel and brought it out of its funky drudges,” said Mary Rodman. Sutton and a business partner transformed the lodge into a bar called the Mud Pub, where Rodman tended bar from 1981 to 1985.

“It was a great place,” she said. “It was the center of all activity in Archuleta County at the time. People met their significant others there; there was always something going on.”

Whether the structure will be rebuilt is unclear and up to the individual owners of the commercial spaces. In the meantime, the Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce is assisting the former Adobe tenants with getting back in business.

“We had both self-employed and larger businesses in there, and we’re looking to relocate them immediately,” said Executive Director Mary Jo Coulehan. “The good news is they’re insured, and we’re grateful to the Durango community, including the Southwest Colorado Workforce Center, which has helped find emergency employment opportunities.”

The cost of damage from the fire and losses to businesses has not been totaled.

Coulehan is directing affected businesses to the chamber’s website, where they can post their needs for hard goods.

“I’ve been here 22 years,” Coulehan said. “This is one of the greatest business disasters we’ve had.”

jpace@durangoherald.com

Oct 24, 2016
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