Noxon fire not arson

Arson has been ruled out as the cause of a February 27 fire that destroyed three businesses in Noxon. "At this point there is nothing that points to arson," Sheriff Shawn Fielders said Monday. He noted that two private insurance investigators as well as the state fire marshal's office have come to the same conclusion, though the investigation is ongoing and the cause is not yet known.

"We have chased down every lead that's been given to us," Sheriff Fielders told The Ledger. He commended deputy Corey Wheeldon for his efforts investigating for the sheriff's office. "Corey has been really good at investigating this. He has chased it pretty hard," Fielders noted.

Fielders said the investigation into the Noxon fire that destroyed Toby's Tavern, Angry Beaver General Store and the Noxon Mercantile and Cafe is ongoing. "Investigators are just as anxious as we are to find out what happened," he explained.

Sheriff Fielders added that the state fire marshal's office has completed the investigation into the fire that destroyed the Hereford Bar and Grill in January 2024, and that the cause of the fire is listed as undetermined. He explained that the sheriff's office also investigated whether the Noxon fires were connected and have found no evidence pointing to any connection. "Nothing links the Noxon fire to the Hereford fire," Fielders said.