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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Repairs under way after fire

Most of Joel building structurally sound; officials estimate total damage tops $5 million

Workers from Belfor Property Reconstruction pull insulation and drywall  out of the lofts in the upper floors of the Joel building Wednesday.  (CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON / The Spokesman-Review)

A sooty smell still wafts from the vacant doors and windows of the burned-out Dorian Studios.

Dumpsters surround the Joel building, ready to catch debris created by fire, water and smoke damage.

Contractors, electricians and restorers have replaced the firefighters who fought the blaze in downtown Spokane two weeks ago today.

The cause of the blaze at 161 S. Post St. remains unknown, said Brian Schaeffer, assistant fire chief. Investigators are waiting for removal of some of the piles of debris, scheduled for Aug. 18, before getting back into Dorian to figure out what sparked the blaze.

While individual owners have had insurance assessments, officials now estimate the overall damage tops $5 million.

The building’s businesses were in various states of repair Wednesday.

Ron Wells, a partner in the 16-unit condominium project on the second and third floors of the building called the Lofts at Joel, said most of the building has been declared structurally sound.

“Our damage was amazingly minor. It isn’t minor, but considering what it looked like … It shows you the need for firewall separation,” Wells said.

Condominium buyers, such as Peter and Nancy Steele, were told their home will probably be done in six months.

“It’s pretty positive,” Steele said.

Said Wells, “We’re pleased we’re able to rebuild it and repair it. Our buyers are all apparently still with us and anxious for us to do that.”

Churchill’s Steakhouse owner Bill Alles said he’s waiting to hear about the fate of the rest of the building before committing to reopening the restaurant. But workers were busy there Wednesday, replacing wiring and pulling out ruined wood, drywall and furnishings.

Yvonne Mark, co-owner of Dorian, which suffered the most damage, was still awaiting an expert’s opinion about that part of the building. The fire started in Dorian’s basement July 24.

The photography studio has moved to 1105 N. Lincoln St., Mark said.

A trucker drove through the night from New Jersey to deliver new equipment after he heard about the fire, Mark said. A company in Florida sent paper processors free of charge. Local photo studios have also shared equipment with Dorian.

“The support has been amazing,” Mark said.

“We have story after story like that where people have bent over backwards,” Mark said. “And what we decided, it’s not about the building, it’s about the people. And we’re all here.”

Mark said the business salvaged information from computer hard drives, and some papers survived the blaze, singed and soaked but readable.

The paper materials were sitting on a desk on the main floor.

“Our appointment book was salvaged. It was soaked, but you could read it,” Mark said. “That’s like a miracle to me.”