Preliminary results of the investigation into the cause of the Feed Store restaurant fire last week have ruled out arson.

According to sheriff Fred Jobe, the cause of the fire is believed to have been a cigarette butt not properly extinguished in a wooden planter located outside on the north side of the sprawling historic wooden building.

The fire apparently started on the exterior deck where a number of wooden planters filled with peat moss were located, said Jobe.

Jobe said investigators with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation believe the smoldering cigarette butt sparked the moss inside one of those planters. The fire spread to the outside of the planter and traveled along the exterior siding before entering the main dining room. Damage amounted to several thousand dollars.

A gust of wind is believed to have caused the fire to spread, said Jobe. Most of the Valley experienced extremely high winds Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

The fire was reported around 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday, April 30, when her barking dog awakened a woman living in the adjoining Lea’s Haven mobile home park.

Had she not been awake and called 911, said Jobe, the entire building would likely have been engulfed in flames.

Due to that 911 call and quick action by the volunteer fire department, said Jobe, a more serious fire was prevented.

Besides fire damage to an exterior and interior wall, there was moderate water damage and moderately extensive smoke damage throughout the facility.

The lone occupant inside the building at the time of the blaze escaped with only slight smoke inhalation, said Jobe.  The occupant lived in one of the three apartments located on the upper two floors of the building.

Arson was originally suspected in the fire and as a result a team of arson investigators with the CBI was at the scene the afternoon of the fire.

Preliminary evidence indicates the fire was an accident, said Jobe, however the investigators did take samples of the planter and peat moss to see if an accelerant had been added.

However, said Jobe, unless the lab results of those samples indicate otherwise the investigation is complete and the fire has been ruled accidental.

The historic building is owned by Garrett Carlson of Beverly Hills, Calif.  Restaurant owners and mangers Chris Tabb and Steve Wilmot have begun clean-up and they hope to  have the restaurant open in time to host the previously-scheduled  fundraising dinner on Sunday, May 18.

– Nora Drenner