BOISE, Idaho — The fire that broke out at the Union Block building on Idaho Street in downtown Boise on Oct. 12 is being investigated as arson.
On Monday, a spokesperson from the Boise Police Department (BPD) told KTVB in an email, "At this time, the cause of the fire is being considered a possible arson, and the investigation is ongoing."
The fire was reported on Saturday around 5:15 p.m., and BPD officers and Boise Fire crews responded. BPD said firefighters quickly extinguished the source of the smoke.
On Saturday, Boise Fire crews were seen on a ladder extending to the roof of the Union Block Building.
"Anytime we get a building like this, we're going to send a ladder company to the roof to make sure that it's safe to operate under and that there's no changing conditions up on the roof," Battalion Chief, Jonas Dethman told KTVB on the scene. "That'll give you a good indication what's going on inside the building."
At the time, he could not provide an exact location of the fire inside the building.
"The smoke was found to be coming from materials that were on fire in the vacant building," the BPD Public Information Officer told KTVB on Saturday.
On Monday, BPD revealed some items on fire, including the old kitchen and office supplies.
Roads in the area were shut down but quickly reopened after the incident. Police said there was no one in the building and there was minor damage.
The Union Block building has been vacant since November of 2023 due to safety reasons.
