HYDE PARK, Cache County — Fire leveled a popular family-owned restaurant over the weekend, causing more than $1 million in damage.
Investigators were still on the scene Monday morning trying to determine the cause of the fire, which started about midnight Sunday morning at the Juniper Inn, 4088 N. U.S. 91. Authorities have ruled out arson, North Park Police Sgt. Brent Auman said.
The fire appears to have started in the attic before spreading through the rest of the building, North Park Police Chief Kim Hawkes said.
"There's really nothing left but the four outside walls, and they're awful shaky," Auman said. "The roof has caved in. It's just a complete and total loss, except for the sign that says 'Juniper Inn.' There's nothing they can salvage, in my opinion."
Investigators say it appears the fire had been slowly burning for quite some time before the actual ignition of the building, Auman said.
A witness driving north to nearby Preston, Idaho, reported the fire at 12:06 a.m., Hawkes said. A North Park officer arrived four minutes later and saw smoke coming from underneath the rafters and flames on the north corner of the building, Hawkes said.
Smithfield fire crews arrived at 12:11 a.m., Hawkes said. The fire caused the building's roof to cave in.
The restaurant had been a fixture in the Cache Valley community for several years, frequently hosting banquets for Utah State University and other local groups.
"It's just something that's been there forever," Auman said. "It's going to be strange when you go by there now and there's nothing left but a hollow shell."
The last employee left about 11:30 p.m., Hawkes said.
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