Pharmacy burglarized while bank burns

As firefighters and law enforcement officials responded to a fire at Glacier Bank in Eureka early Thursday morning, a pharmacy was burglarized less than a mile away.

Pamida Pharmacy Owner Richard Brewer said he raced to the business just after 4 a.m., about the same time flames were seen emanating from the bank.

Prescription medication and other items were taken from the pharmacy after someone broke a window to gain access, he said.

“They helped themselves,” he said. “They just swooped up what they could and then they were gone.”

Brewer said he was at the pharmacy within 10 minutes of the activation of a burglary alarm. The city’s police officers were at the bank and unable to respond immediately, he said.

A message left with the Eureka Police Department had not been returned as of press time.

Though there has been no confirmation from law enforcement officials linking the two events, the timing is leading to speculation that the incidents might be related.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Assistant Michelle Barney said an investigation is under way and that an evidence technician still was at the burned bank on U.S. 93 Friday afternoon.

She could not say whether or not the burglary is being investigated in conjunction with the bank fire or if arson is suspected.

At least two state deputy fire marshals were involved in the investigation. Deputy Marshal Dawn Drollinger — who oversees investigations in Northwest Montana — did not immediately return a call for comment.

Brewer admitted the timing of the fire and burglary seemed suspicious, but he said he is not convinced the incidents are related.

“Of course it [seems suspicious], but it could have still been a coincidence,” Brewer said.

Glacier Bank President Bob Nystuen acknowledged the speculation, but said he hasn’t heard anything directly from investigators.

“There’s some rumor and speculation going on but we haven’t heard anything directly from the investigators,” he said. “We’re not ready to connect the dots on that.”

Firefighters returned to Glacier Bank at about 1:30 a.m. Friday when the fire ignited burned debris almost a full day after the blaze was reported, according to Eureka Volunteer Fire Department President John Livingston.

Firefighters used about 500,000 gallons of water while battling the fire, said Livingston, who echoed  Nystuen’s assessment that the building is a complete loss. Livingston said it appears the fire started near the northeast corner of the building. A satellite office owned by a Whitefish law firm also was destroyed.

Linvingston said the total amount of damage has not been tabulated, though an insurance adjuster has visited the scene.

Nystuen said the bank could be temporarily relocated to a modular unit as early as next week. In the meantime, the Eureka branches of the Whitefish Credit Union and First Interstate Bank have provided space for Glacier Bank employees and customers to conduct business.

Livingston said the fire was the most significant response by the fire department since an apparent arson at a county building Oct. 24, 2009.

An intruder broke a window in the back door to enter the building and set fire to a desk in Justice of the Peace Stormy Langston’s office in the North Lincoln County Annex. The fire was confined to Langston’s office, but smoke heavily damaged the rest of the building, requiring more than $300,000 in repairs.

The annex building was one of four buildings burglarized that night.

Eric Haas, 20 at the time, originally was charged with seven counts of burglary and one count of felony arson.

He was sentenced to 10 years in Montana State Prison.