Fire destroys part of TC business

A fire destroyed the main greenhouse at Trout Creek Gardens and Nursery in the early hours of Wednesday, May 18. No one was injured, and while the owners don't have a final total in damages, a significant amount of inventory was lost. "The fire took the whole structure of the main 100-foot greenhouse," owner Don Carsella said. "We lost 400 hanging baskets and around 30,000 annuals and veggies. We lost plant tags, tools, fans and our generator."

Carsella believes the cause of the fire was the wood burning stove that is used to heat the greenhouse during the colder months of the year. "It just got too hot," Carsella said. "The greenhouse was pretty much burnt to the ground by the time we got there." Carsella says it was a good friend and customer who alerted him and his wife, Pam, of the fire. The wood stove has been the method the owners have always relied on in the past. "We've been doing it this way for the last 30 years and we've never had a problem," Carsella stated.

While losing the main greenhouse was quite the loss so early in the season, the owners are already bouncing back with the help of the community. "We have amazing customers and an amazing community," Carsella expressed. The owners said the youth group from Clark Fork Christian Fellowship came out Friday to help remove debris. A number of customers and friends have stepped in to help donate and rebuild the greenhouse as well. The owners are planning to host a party once they have rebuilt in honor of all the help they have received.

Carsella's daughter created a GoFundMe to help with expenses. As of Monday, almost $4,000 had been donated to the cause. The setback has not dampened their spirits, and Carsella says they are doing better than ever. "We are still in business, we are still open and we've got a lot of beautiful plants left to sell," he said. "We've got the best customers and friends in the world."