Melby's fire likely arson, Sheriff says

Fifty years ago this week, Lawrence Melby announced he was going to build a furniture store in Columbia Falls with partner Reid Stuart.

The store would change locations, but Melby's Home Interiors would go on to be a Columbia Falls institution, a longtime supporter of sports and other activities in the community.

On Sunday, it's believed an arsonist in the early morning hours set a fire in a shed that contained store records that was about a foot from the main store showroom. That fire spread to the main building and it burned down in spectacular fashion, a total loss.

Lawrence Melby has since passed away and his son Steve now runs the store, which has been on U.S. Highway 2 at its current location for the past 10 years. Steve and his wife, Debbie, live not far from the store. A neighbor woke him up to tell him it was on fire. Steve went to the scene and witnessed his livelihood burn down.

He said the plan is to rebuild. Insurance adjusters had already visited the site Sunday morning. The store had about $1 million in inventory. Glacier Bank was providing office space until the company could get back on its feet, Steve said. Melby said the business was insured.

The fire call came out about 5:30 a.m. When firefighters arrived, the fire was already into the attic of the structure and it spread throughout the building, said assistant Fire Chief Jesse Best.

Once in the attic, the fire spread quickly, exploding through the rafters, saidFire Chief Rick Hagen.

Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said Monday that when Columbia Falls Police initially responded to the fire, the officer took a picture that showed the shed on fire.

"Initial investigation at the scene indicates the fire may have been intentionally set," Curry said in a media release.

The fire is being investigated by the Sheriff's Department and anyone who may have seen anything in the early morning hours of Sept. 27 is asked to contact the department at 758-5585.

The building is adjacent to a residential home and other neighborhoods. A fence between Melby's and a home partially caught on fire, the blaze was so intense.

Hagen said firefighters initially tried to enter the structure to fight the blaze, but pulled out just in time. A few moments later, a flash fire - the explosion - raced through the attic.

Firefighters from Columbia Falls, Whitefish, Evergreen, Bad Rock and Blankenship all responded, as did Three Rivers Ambulance, Columbia Falls Police and the Flathead County Sheriff's Department. They were able to contain the fire to the main building, save for the initial shed. Hagen said fire investigators were still looking for clues as to the exact ignition source of the blaze.