Three days after fire gutted a historical building in Pagosa Springs, investigators continued to search for the origin and cause.
The building, built in 1900 or 1902, is a total loss, said Megan Macht, spokeswoman for the Pagosa Fire Protection District.
The fire was reported about 1:05 a.m. Saturday at the Adobe Building, 475 Lewis St., which housed Bear Creek Saloon and Restaurant, and 15 smaller businesses. The Adobe Building is catty-corner from the Archuleta County Courthouse and is visible from San Juan Street, the main thoroughfare through Pagosa Springs.
The Pagosa Springs school district and other businesses have offered temporary office space to help some displaced businesses, Macht said.
No one was injured, Macht said.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the cause, but because the second floor collapsed and the building is unstable, it has been difficult to access certain areas, Macht said.
She declined to rule out foul play.
“Right now the ATF is not ruling out anything, only because they need to keep their head clear and all the options open while they investigate it,” Macht said.
Firefighters are confident they will identify the cause, she said.
“It’s going to take some time,” she said. “They do have to dig through the rubble and find some specific pieces. I think they’re really going to be able to narrow down pretty quickly as far as exactly what happened in there. They’re doing witness interviews and stuff like that.”
She could not recall the last time a fire this significant affected Pagosa Springs.
“It’s been a very long time,” she said. “Not only because there are a lot of businesses in there, but that’s a very historic building.”
shane@durangoherald.com
