Contrary to reports on a local television news station this week, fire investigators have not yet determined the cause of the Cloquet Home Center fire that destroyed the building on March 30.
"We have not ruled out arson," said Terry Christensen, state fire marshal investigator. "In fact, we haven't yet finished the investigation. We're waiting for the snow to melt and we're hoping to get back to the site later this week."
Cloquet Home Center co-owners Tom Wallin and Bob Goewey are forging ahead, albeit in a limited way.
"It's not business as usual but we're still in business," Wallin said on Monday. "Reality is setting in."
At this point, the former site of the Cloquet Home Center looks as it has since the fire was extinguished. Charred debris and rubble are secured only with fire line tape that is mostly lying on the ground.
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"We are frozen until investigators give us the go-ahead to begin clean-up," Wallin said.
They have received bids for the clean-up, however, and once they begin it should take two to three days to complete the job, Wallin reported.
"Then we can really move forward," he said.
In the meantime, Cloquet Home Center continues to do business, setting up a temporary office in a large trailer on their property. Two more trailers for storing construction materials should come this week.
"I've had a few customers call wanting to know if we have things like caulking supplies, but we're not there yet," Wallin said.
The block-long complex at 1100 Industry Avenue that housed the Cloquet Home Center business operations contained contracting and home improvement supplies at the time it caught fire in the afternoon of Friday, March. 30. No one was injured.
Firefighters from Cloquet, Perch Lake, Esko and Carlton departments battled the flames and stayed on the scene into the night.
Flammable materials contained inside the building fed the fire - as did the strong wind blowing that afternoon.
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"We are so appreciative of the help from entire community," Wallin said. "Something good always comes from the bad and we're looking for the good."
