KALISPELL — An early morning fire in downtown Kalispell destroyed a business and caused a region wide fiber outage.
The Kalispell Fire Department reports that crews were dispatched to a structure fire at the intersection of Center Street and 6th Ave. West just before 3 a.m. Tuesday.
By the time firefighters arrived, the 30-foot by 90-foot metal building, also known as a Quonset, was fully engulfed.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, but the building is a total loss. The structure housed a woodworking shop.
The fire also caused a large communication outage in Western Montana.
Montana Sky Networks reports the fiber outage extends from Kalispell to Missoula and affects customers in Creston, Lakeside, Ashley Lake, Bigfork, and Lower Valley.
Crews are expected to restore service by 3 p.m. but you can check their outage reports here.
