Cook Grocery Store Destroyed

Nine departments battle blaze in sub-zero temperatures

   On February 10, an early morning fire destroyed Clark’s IGA in downtown Cook.  The blaze was reported around 2:45 a.m. and eventually involved a total of nine fire departments from the surrounding area.  Cook Assistant Fire Chief Tim Picek was one of the first to arrive on the scene and heavy smoke was already coming from the huge building.  Picek immediately called for mutual aid from Greenwood Township, Pike-Sandy Britt and Virginia.  Sub-zero temperatures, which at times dipped to –30 degrees, hampered the entire firefighting effort.  Several apparatus froze up and had to be taken out of service and thawed out at the Cook firehall. 

   Cook’s municipal water system was overwhelmed by the blaze and tanker operations were started right away, before the city’s water tower was depleted.  Water was brought in from the nearby Potlatch plant on Highway 53.  Eventually, the Littlefork River was tapped and used for the firefighting operation.

   The fire apparently started in a second story storage-office area.  The cause has been determined to be accidental.  The building was considered a total loss.  A backhoe was brought in to assist in taking down the building.  Within days, the entire site was cleaned up.  The owner of store plans to rebuild. 

Photos by Steve Skogman of Mountain Iron.