Friday Harbor shops gutted

FRIDAY HARBOR, San Juan County — When a building in a town as small as Friday Harbor burns down, taking with it five businesses, feeling lucky isn't usually the first emotion people feel.

Yesterday, a fast-moving fire two blocks from the ferry landing gutted part of a city block, consuming a grocery, florist, hamburger stand and two gift shops. The blaze was stunning, drawing about 1,000 people into the street to watch. And it came just as the town was readying for a prosperous summer season.

But as many in this city of 2,000 soon learned, the fire could've been much worse.

"If the wind was blowing, or if we ran out of water or any number of things ... a whole block could've been gone," said Mayor Gary Boothman. "Our older buildings would've been like a tinderbox."

Firefighters usually can draw from a 1 million-gallon and a 500,000-gallon water tank, but the latter was drained for repairs a few days ago. Rather than use up the remaining water, the fire was allowed to burn itself out last night.

"Thank God nobody got hurt," said Stacey Brown as he watched firefighters drench the remnants of his restaurant, The Hungry Clam.

Firefighters got the call just after 3 p.m., Friday Harbor Administrator King Fitch said. The first engine arrived at First and Spring streets within two minutes, he said. Soon after, the city's 31 volunteer firefighters and 40 county volunteers, including some ferried in from Lopez and Orcas islands, were fighting the blaze. Smoke could be seen from several miles away.

Brown had been taking an order at The Hungry Clam when he first smelled "something weird." He ran to the back of the restaurant and saw smoke coming through the floorboards. He shut off the electrical circuits, grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran outside to the back, where he saw thick smoke coming from the refrigeration compressor room of the neighboring grocery.

After about 40 minutes, Boothman said, it was clear the building couldn't be saved. Firefighters moved to contain the fire and try to prevent it from spreading to the town's oldest building, built in the 1880s, just an ember's fall away. In the building next door was a large propane tank, which crews feared could explode. It took more than three hours to get the blaze under control, but firefighters kept watch on the hot spots last night.

Boothman described an eerie scene.

"While there were probably 1,000 people watching the fire, hardly a word was said. It was quiet except for the sound of the fire crackling."

Although the cause of the fire is unknown, speculation centers around the grocery's compressor. Investigators likely will not be able to get inside the burned-out structure until later today, said Fire Chief Robert Lowe. All the businesses were insured.

Friday Harbor hadn't dealt with a major fire in nearly a decade. But the town purchased a new hook-and-ladder truck two years ago to go with an influx of new volunteer recruits.

Lost in the fire were two of Friday Harbor's longtime businesses. Generations shopped at the Friday Harbor Grocery, which until eight years ago was known as Whitey's.

The grocery is one of only two full-size markets in town. Across the street, Kings Market stayed open throughout the blaze. Although most residents patronize both, the Friday Harbor Grocery, closest to the marina docks, appealed more to boaters and waterfront workers. Residents said it was possible to tell how long someone had lived in Friday Harbor by what they called the grocery. "To old-timers, it will always be Whitey's," said Jim Vedder, a 27-year resident.

The Hungry Clam was a classic hamburger stand, selling burgers, fried clams and fries to locals and tourists alike.

"I went down to the fire," said 25-year resident Nancy Larsen, "and everybody was standing on the corner talking about how much they'll miss the fries."

Also destroyed were San Juan Florists, Friday Harbor Souvenir and Gifts, and the Mystical Mermaid.

"I'm just thinking about the work I put into that store," said Rosa Forgie, who bought Friday Harbor Souvenir and Gifts from her family in November.

"It's my life," said Julie Werling, who, along with her sister and mother, bought San Juan Florists three years ago.

Werling was out on a delivery when the fire broke out, but her sister and mother, who were in the back of the shop, heard an explosion. Then the power went out, and they smelled smoke.

"May is our biggest month," said Werling. "We just got $7,000 worth of inventory — flowers, plants and vases — on Monday. It's crazy."

Even so, Werling is already thinking of the 130 orders still to be filled for Mother's Day; the records of the orders were lost.

"We're going to try and get flowers flown up in the morning and hope all the people who ordered flowers will give us a call," she said.

"That's what we're worried about," agreed her sister, Lisa Zschiesche. "The rest can be rebuilt and re-bought, but it's the mothers we're worried about."

This isn't the first time a building on that spot has burned. A major fire tore through the location in 1943. The charred husk sat rotting for years before it was cleared away; it dominated the city's most prominent corner as an empty lot. Warren Jones poured the concrete for the new structure in the early 1960s.

"It was a very good thing for the town when we were able to put a building back there," said Jones, who has lived his 65 years on the island.

Tourism, along with summer residents, fuels the island's economy. The fire could not have come at a worse time for the businesses, but Boothman said he'd spoken to the owner of the property, Gordy Petersen, who plans to rebuild.

Even before the fire was extinguished, residents were talking about how they could help. "We will definitely be having many benefits, potlucks and spaghetti dinners," said Robin Jacobson.

Brown, owner of The Hungry Clam, recalled when another business burned several years ago. When it was being rebuilt, the community donated items, volunteered and held an auction.

But Lyle Tarte, a San Juan County sheriff's deputy, called the fire a catastrophe.

"Those businesses are part of this community. And they're just working people trying to make a living. Now they're all out of work at the start of the tourist season," he said. "But islanders are resilient people. ... We'll survive."

Gina Kim: 206-464-2761 or gkim@seattletimes.com. John Zebrowski: 206-464-8292 or jzebrowski@seattletimes.com.