String of fires in Lake County investigated

A series of suspicious fires in Lake County, including one that destroyed a historic building early Saturday morning, has caught the attention of area law enforcement.

Saturday’s fire, which claimed the 110-year-old former Beckwith Mercantile building in St. Ignatius, was the latest in a series of vehicle and structure fires that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has deemed suspicious.

The mercantile building, the second-oldest building in St. Ignatius, was being used for storage. It had not housed an active business for 12 years and once served as community center.  

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A separate fire early Saturday burned a business in downtown St. Ignatius.

And early Tuesday morning, a small abandoned cabin east of St. Ignatius burned down.

According to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office, at least eight recent fires in the Pablo and St. Ignatius areas were ruled suspicious.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Search and Rescue, Flathead Tribal Police, the St. Ignatius Police Department and the Montana Fire Marshal’s Office are working together to investigate the fires as potential arson fires.

Anyone with information about the fires is asked to contact Lake County Crimestoppers at (888) 883-7309. Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward.