1 Rare Birds Die In Fire In Downtown Kirkland -- Several Businesses Damaged

KIRKLAND - Standing across the street from his fire-ravaged pet store, Malcolm Gordon wasn't thinking about the bottom line. His tear-dampened cheeks quivered as he responded to a question about whether he would rebuild his popular Wings of The World Pet Store, which specialized in expensive exotic birds from all over the globe.

"It's hard to rebuild dead animals," Gordon said, shaken from the three-alarm blaze that yesterday extensively damaged several businesses along Lake Street.

Nearly 100 birds, mostly rare breeds, died as a result of the fire, which investigators said started early yesterday morning at a restaurant next to the pet store.

Damage to the restaurant, pet store, a photo shop and a second restaurant was estimated at $1 million.

Some young birds rescued

A few baby birds, Blue Indian Ring Necks, as well as some rabbits and turtles were rescued by pedestrians and firefighters, but Gordon said the birds suffered so much smoke inhalation they were not expected to survive.

As tragic as the fire was for Gordon and his wife and business partner, Joan Ready, fire officials said the blaze likely would have consumed a wide swath of downtown real estate had it not been detected in its early stages.

Firefighters cut a hole in the roof of the square-block building to vent the fire, keeping it from spreading to other businesses in what once was a JC Penney department store. The building is a maze of openings and channels for a fire to travel.

"This is one of our nightmare buildings in Kirkland," said Battalion Chief Mike Haschak. "We always kind of figured that if it ever got going, we'd lose the whole block. We just got lucky."

Passer-by noticed smoke

Kirkland Fire Chief Tom Fieldstad said the fire was reported about 2:30 a.m. by a passer-by who noticed light smoke coming from The Trattoria, an Italian restaurant in the middle of the Lake Street block between Kirkland Avenue to the south and Central Way Northeast to the north.

Fieldstad said the fire started behind the kitchen in a storage room that included a hot-water heater, though investigators have yet to determine the cause of the blaze.

"It's too early to rule anything in or out," Fieldstad said.

Fire crews from Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond and Bothell joined Kirkland firefighters in combating the blaze.

The Trattoria was gutted. The photo shop and the second restaurant, Pelican's Wharf, suffered minor smoke damage.

Gordon, who opened his pet shop eight years ago, bred and hand-fed almost all the birds he sold. His inventory included some birds that sell for more than $1,000, including Moluccan Cockatoos, Macaws, Congo African Greys and Blue Indian Ring Necks, as well as less-expensive finches and love birds.

There was no estimate on the value of the pets that were lost.

Gordon was at the shop about 1 a.m. yesterday to feed his baby birds but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

Dick Beazell, owner of Pelican's Wharf, said his restaurant will be closed for a few days. Trattoria owner Tony Riviera said he hopes to reopen but isn't sure when.