TELLURIDE — Telluride firefighters continue working to suppress a blaze that destroyed a town institution last night.
Baked in Telluride, a regional favorite since 1975, is a total loss, said Telluride Chief Marshal Jim Kolar.
Employees who were cleaning up at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday saw smoke coming through the kitchen floor and called 911. A Telluride officer came on the double, saw the smoke and evacuated the building.
Telluride firefighters cut into the floor, trying to find the source of the smoke, but had trouble when they ran into a couple of sub-floors, Kolar said.
"It really started going, and, I think, drove the firefighters out of the building. The floor was getting spongy," and there were safety concerns.
Firefighters then used a ladder hose to attack the fire from the top.
"They fought it through the evening. They were able to prevent it from spreading to any structures nearby," Kolar said.
But the fire destroyed the bakery and still was smoldering today.
He does not suspect foul play but said the fire chief must determine the cause. The chief was at the scene all night and could not be reached this morning for comment.
The Telluride Daily Planet reports that the fire might have begun in a grease trap.
Baked in Telluride is owned by Jerry Greene, who also could not be reached for comment. Kolar said another person owns the building, and it's his understanding that individual has insurance.
anonymous posted at 9:00 am on Wed, Feb 10, 2010.
This is a terrible shame. I hope they are able to rebuild quickly and once again find the quirky funk feel that made BIT such an institution.
anonymous posted at 6:07 am on Wed, Feb 10, 2010.
This is a big loss for Telluride. I lived there many years until I could no longer financially survive there. My kids and grandkids all have great memories of bagels, pizza, baklava, etc., and the people at the bakery. Hopefully Jerry can reopen somewhere else in town.