A two-alarm fire that destroyed a well-known Bellingham pet supply store and threatened other nearby buildings early Monday was started under "suspicious circumstances," says the city's assistant fire chief, Bill Hewett.
An investigative team has found evidence that the blaze at Hohl Feed and Seed was started on the outside of the building in the alley, in an area where there are no heat or electrical sources. "Without anything to indicate an accidental start to the fire, it is apparent that the fire was caused by a person," Hewett said in a prepared statement. He said a surveillance video provided by a neighboring business confirms there was a person in the area where the fire started minutes before 911 was notified at about 4:20 a.m. Monday.