GRAND FORKS — Officials say a fire that ripped through Grand Forks city hall didn’t cause any structural damage to the building.
Witnesses report hearing a loud bang shortly after 5 a.m. Thursday.
“I heard a big blast,” says resident Bill Gilmour. “I thought: That’s not a 12 gauge shotgun, this is something bigger. I saw flames and smoke in the building. I’m shocked. I’m still shaking.”
Resident Jeff Lewis says he too heard the loud bang and believes he saw the person who may have started the fire.
“I thought it was firecrackers. I saw a young guy, maybe 18, just standing there watching the fire.”
Police have a person of interest in custody.
Officials say the fire was isolated to the first floor. They say the main office at the entrance took the brunt of the heat and smoke damage but the rest of the offices on the first floor are intact – mainly because the doors were closed.
They say that the building didn’t suffer any structural damage because it’s made out of brick.
The building originally opened as a post office in 1991 and became Grand Forks city hall in 1981.
ORIGINAL STORY
GRAND FORKS — Damage to the historic Grand Forks city hall is being described as extensive following an early morning fire Thursday.
The alarm rang at around 5:30 a.m.
The first floor of the two storey brick structure was on fire when crews arrived.
RCMP say the cause appears to be suspicious and have a “person of interest” in custody.
Arson investigators are on scene and structural engineers are being consulted to determine if the building is safe to enter.
Mayor Brian Taylor is on his way back to Grand Forks from the UBCM in Vancouver.
It’s the second major fire to hit the community of Grand Forks in recent years.
In March 2012, the historic Grand Forks Hotel burned to the ground. The cause was arson.
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