Fire destroys multiple downtown Snoqualmie businesses

4 women-owned businesses gutted by fire in Snoqualmie

A structure fire in downtown Snoqualmie left four beloved women-owned businesses in ruins, but the community is quick to show their support.

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. - A structure fire in downtown Snoqualmie left four beloved women-owned businesses in ruins, but the community is quick to show their support.

Around 5:25 a.m. on Sunday, Eastside Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at a building on Railroad Avenue near SE River Street in Historic Downtown Snoqualmie.

"It was actually an alert Snoqualmie Police officer who smelled the smoke and drove over," said Dorie Ross. "He potentially saved the fire from spreading even further."

It took crews several hours to fully extinguish the fire, which resulted in the building being a complete loss.

The news of the fire was heartbreaking for the owners of four local women-run businesses: Chickadee Bakeshop, Snoqualmie Pie Co., and Littlest Wishes Photography, which were completely destroyed, and Snoqualmie Ice Cream, which was damaged in the back.

"From the front of the building everything looks okay," said neighbor Ashley Grammer. "But when you look at the back, it’s a total loss."

Most of the damage was left on the backside of the building along Falls Avenue Southeast.

"It was such a big fire, and they were trying to put it out for at least an hour. It was relentless, it was hard to watch," said Grammer.

Making the fire even more difficult was the impact it had on the businesses.

"We know these women by name, they know us," said Grammer. "They’re part of this community."

Speaking with FOX 13, Dorie Ross owner of Chickadee Bakeshop and Snoqualmie Pie Co. said she’s at a loss for words.

"I’m honestly numb," she said. "It’s gone. Do we start over, do we rebuild, do we move to a new spot? There’s just a lot of ‘what if.’"

Owners of these businesses expressed their devastation on social media but also thanked the public for their continued support as they process this tragedy.

In response to this, the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce started a GoFundMe to assist the affected businesses during this difficult time, with the hope they can rise from the ashes and thrive in the community.

"We’ve had people donating and calling from all over the country," said Kelly Coughlin, CEO of the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce. "We’ve even had local businesses say they have empty space for the women to set up shop in, whatever it takes to get them back up and running."

"We are a sisterhood of businesses," said Kathryn Podschwit. "We’ll get through this."

No one was injured in the fire. The King County Sheriff's Office Fire Investigation Unit is working to find out what caused the fire.