Missoula, MT – An early morning fire in downtown Kalispell has left a local business destroyed and triggered a large-scale fiber-optic outage across Western Montana. The blaze, which broke out just before 3 a.m. on Tuesday, engulfed a metal building at the intersection of Center Street and 6th Ave. West.
The building, a 30-foot by 90-foot Quonset hut, housed a woodworking shop, which has been completely lost in the fire. The Kalispell Fire Department responded promptly to the scene, but by the time firefighters arrived, the structure was already fully engulfed in flames.
Despite extensive efforts from local firefighters, the building was deemed a total loss. No injuries have been reported, but the cause of the fire remains under investigation. The building’s owner, whose identity has not yet been released, is believed to have been inside the business at the time of the blaze but managed to escape unharmed.
Authorities have not yet determined the source of the fire, and fire officials are continuing to examine the remains of the structure to gather more information.
In addition to the damage to the woodworking shop, the fire caused a significant disruption to communication services throughout the region. Fiber-optic lines were reportedly damaged, leading to a widespread outage affecting businesses, schools, and residents in Western Montana. Local service providers are working to restore service as quickly as possible, but the outage has left many in the area without reliable internet and phone access.
As of now, local businesses and residents are assessing the full extent of the disruption caused by the fire and the communication outage. While recovery efforts are already underway, the fire’s impact on the region’s connectivity may continue to be felt for some time.
The Kalispell Fire Department is continuing its investigation into the fire’s origins, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
The fire serves as a reminder of the potential vulnerabilities of both local businesses and critical communication infrastructure, underscoring the importance of emergency preparedness and response strategies in the region.
