Investigation resumed:

Fonk’s building turned back to owners, progress made

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Jul 23, 20200

COLFAX – The Fonk’s fire investigation has entered a new phase as items from the building are now being analyzed in a private forensic laboratory in Seattle.

These include wiring, an oven, a dishwasher and a meat slicer from the back of the ground floor of the building, where the March 17 fire is suspected to have started.

The partially-taken down structure was turned back over to its owners Tuesday.

The current investigation is being conducted by representatives of insurance companies which have policies on the building.

“They’ll take (the kitchen items) apart and see if it started the fire,” said Tony Nuttman, lead fire investigator, Pullman Fire Department.

Nuttman is not involved in the private investigation, though once the forensics work in Seattle is complete, he will sit down with the investigators to go through what they have found.

“It could lead to something or it could lead to nothing,” Nuttman said.

Earlier this month, the private investigators went into the building again to retrieve the kitchen equipment.

No date is set for an expectation of when their work will be done.

Overall, building owners Steve and Debbie Warwick’s plans to possibly re-build using the lower brick walls and front facade of Fonk’s are still possible.

“We’ve got plans for the building that we’re all very excited about,” said Joel Warwick, director of operations for Sport Town, which used much of the building for warehouse space.

With tear-down of the upper brick walls (brick-by-brick) nearly complete, removal of debris on the inside will follow.

The job will also be done by L.M. Services of Garfield.

The 1892 building was originally the Great Eastern Department Store, until 1928, when it became Fonk’s Variety Store, running until 2000. Fonk’s Coffeehouse opened in 2012.