Transfer Expected Of Probe Into Jake’s Restaurant Fire

Thu., Dec. 25, 1997

Amy Scribner Staff writer

Medical Lake officials will likely take over investigating the fire that severely damaged Jake’s Restaurant in the morning hours of Dec. 14.

Spokane Fire Department investigators had been working with officials from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to determine the cause of the blaze that destroyed the second floor of the building and caused severe smoke and water damage to the main floor, including the dining room, kitchen The fire apparently started in a second-floor storage area, officials said.

The fire also caused minor damage to an attached real estate office.

Crews from four nearby cities and fire districts joined Medical Lake’s volunteer fire department in battling the fire, which was reported by an employee around 3:30 a.m.

But Spokane fire investigator Ernie Nye said late last week the cause of the fire had not been determined. He said he planned to turn the case over this week to Medical Lake officials, probably without pinpointing an exact cause.

Medical Lake Police Chief Christopher Elg said he and the city’s volunteer fire chief, Cliff Denman, were ready to take over.

“We just thought it was prudent to have experienced fire investigators working on it,” he said. “We can take it from here.”

Although he said he won’t rule out the possibility, Elg said it doesn’t look like a case of arson.

“We didn’t and don’t suspect arson,” he said. “It seems for the most part the owners didn’t have insurance, and most arsons are for profit. So the fact there’s no insurance eliminated most of that concern.”

But that doesn’t rule out the possibility that human error is to blame, he said. That’s something they’ll look into if Spokane investigators don’t find the exact cause.

“If they pinpoint it to, for example, the second-floor furnace, that’s one thing,” he said. “If they give me a more vague determination, like unknown origin, then we’ll probably have to look at that closely and interview some of the key people involved.”

Jake’s Restaurant, a popular cafe and bar in downtown Medical Lake, is owned by Mary Alderman, who said she was “in an awful jam” dealing with the aftermath of the fire and didn’t have time to discuss it right away.

, DataTimes

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.