Two teens arrested for garage fire

Two teen-age boys were arrested Tuesday by the Kalispell Police Department on arson charges stemming from the destruction Monday of a historic carriage house in the alley behind 540 Second Ave. W. in Kalispell.

Kalispell Police Chief Roger Nasset said three boys were identified by multiple witnesses running away from the scene just as the fire started. During the investigation, three juvenile boys were detained and brought to the Kalispell Police Department for questioning.

On Tuesday, two of the three boys were charged: a 15-year-old boy from Lakeside and a 16-year-old boy from Marion. They were placed in the Flathead County Juvenile Detention Center.

Police are still investigating the role a third boy played in the incident.

Police declined to identify the suspects.

Kalispell Fire Department issued a press release noting that, “The structure involved was the original carriage house for the main residence at this address and was used as a cold storage building. The building was reported to be constructed in the year 1903 and listed in Kalispell’s historic registry.”  

Matches were found at the scene of the fire, which started around 2:45 p.m. Monday. Nasset said nearby vegetation, including some tree limbs and possibly some dry grass, provided kindling for the fire.

Nasset gave credit to the witnesses for aiding the investigation.

“We had really good information come in from the public as far as what they saw prior to our arrival,” Nasset said. “It was great public interaction.”

Nasset said that the alleged crime appeared to be random, and the Kalispell Police Department said in a statement that the historic structure appears to be a complete loss. Damages are still to be determined.

“This was just poor decision-making, a crime of opportunity,” he said. “It doesn’t appear that there was any personal attack. Just a random act.”

Kalispell Fire Department was assisted on scene at the blaze by the Kalispell Police Department, Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department, Smith Valley Volunteer Fire Department and Flathead Electric.