Fire causes million-dollar damage in Moscow

No reported injuries; resulted in $2 million worth of total damages

ELAYNE RODRIGUEZ, Evergreen reporter

A piano restoration and repair shop located in a barn caught fire Monday night in Moscow.

Brian Nickerson, Moscow Fire Department fire chief, said there were no reported injuries caused by the fire, but it did cause damages.

Ashley Haynes, Latah County Sheriff’s Office dispatcher, said there were about $2 million in total damages, and nobody was in the building.

Nickerson said they received a call at about 8:10 p.m. about a fire, which occurred on the property in Foothill Road about a few miles outside the city limits.

According to the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, the business affected was the Grand American Piano.

“It was 30 grand pianos, antique guitar collection, tools, chemicals for the business and a Mercedes Sprinter van,” Haynes said.

Nickerson said about eight or nine fire trucks and three command vehicles were on-scene and it took firefighters about four hours to clear out the fire.

Haynes said the barn was used for commercial purposes and was also used for piano restoration.

A kerosene heater may have caused the fire, she said.

Nickerson said the Moscow Fire Department is still investigating the cause of the fire.