Questions remain in Palouse fire aftermath

Following the fire last week that destroyed an 1889 building in Palouse – on the night before the grand opening of a bar and restaurant on the ground floor – the cause remains to be determined.

A Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) from the Spokane Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms visited the site April 8 to assist the Palouse Fire Department.

“It’s an ongoing investigation,” said Paul Canup, Resident Agent in Charge, ATF Spokane Field Office. “We have one agent assisting in the area of cause and origin of the fire.”

The expected time frame for a conclusion is hard to...