STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
The Gold Mine Thrift Store in Ketchum was back up and churning at full speed Monday following a fire that forced its closure on Friday.
Firefighters Ketchum, Sun Valley and Wood River Fire and Rescue responded to a call at 1:04 a.m. Friday, June 30, at the Gold Mine. They received a second call at 1:48 a.m. about a fire at the Hall & Hall Ranch Brokers real estate office on Second Avenue.
An arson investigation is ongoing after firefighters determined both fires were intentionally started.
The fire damaged the southwest exterior corner of the Gold Mine near the area where donations are taken on what is traditionally the Gold Mine’s busiest weekend of the year. None of the contents inside the building were damaged, said Kyla Merwin, communications manager for The Community Library which is the beneficiary of Gold Mine sales.
But firefighters had to gut out a portion of the wall to make sure the ire wasn’t smoldering. The smoke smell has since dissipated.