Hamer’s oldest building destroyed in massive blaze
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HAMER — A historic eastern Idaho building is down to ashes after a fire broke out Wednesday night.
Hamer Fire Chief Scott Jacobs says firefighters were called around 9:20 p.m. to the building constructed in 1910 on Old Highway 91. As of 8:50 a.m. Thursday, the volunteer firefighters were still on the scene.
Over the years, the building has been a store, post office, cafe, bar and dance hall. The top floor was currently being used as an apartment. The building connected to two other large buildings that stored a large number of tires. The structures are now a complete loss, Jacobs says.
“This building has seen a lot of things come and go over the years and been a part of many lives,” Hamer resident Brenda Downs said. “Hamer’s oldest building met with its demise last night. We once again are so grateful to our Hamer and Roberts fire departments. These guys are some dedicated and amazing men.”
Manford Turman and Mel Nielsen built the Hamer Store in 1910, according to reports. A photo dated in 1930 shows Turman and Nielsen sitting in front of a gas pump at the building.
No one was seriously injured in the fire, Jacobs reports. Investigators are still determining what caused the fire.
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