Man displaced by White Bird fire gets help from Red Cross

WHITE BIRD - American Red Cross workers provided food, clothing and five nights in a local hotel for a man whose apartment and auto mechanics shop burned to the ground.

Barbara Fawcett of the Red Cross office in Lewiston said Thursday the agency provides these services statewide to about four house fires a week.

"This is part of our service," Fawcett said. "There is no charge and it's what we do."

A fire at the apartment and shop occupied by Tom Cole of White Bird at 156 River Mountain Road was reported to the Idaho County Sheriff's Office about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, said Bob Johnson, White Bird fire chief.

The property is owned by Donna Gabica and rented as a home and business by Cole.

"When we got there the buildings were fully involved (in flames)," Johnson said. "It was an all-metal building and it collapsed in on itself. We had to bring in heavy equipment to remove tin and other heavy materials, so that really messed up the fire scene. Then the rain we had, it just made it so the state fire marshal was unable to say where it started or how it started."

Johnson said Cole was not home at the time of the fire, but neighbors reported hearing an explosion, then looking out their window and seeing flames and smoke coming out of the building. They called 911 to report the fire.

Johnson estimated the monetary loss of the building was about $200,000 with another $100,000 or more in vehicles and equipment that were destroyed.

The White Bird and Salmon River Rural volunteer fire departments both responded to the call.