Island Park City Hall continues operating from temporary location following arson fire
ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) - More than three months after an arson fire damaged Island Park City Hall, city leaders are continuing to serve residents from a temporary location while investigators work to determine who set the blaze.
The fire, which occurred in March, forced city officials to evacuate the building and disrupted normal operations. Today, city business is continuing as usual...but not from City Hall.
Island Park Mayor Bruce Ard said he and his wife were the first to discover the fire.
“We’re the ones that found it,” Ard said. “My wife and I noticed there was a light on upstairs, and I thought that shouldn’t be. When I opened the door, the smoke and the heat just came billowing out. I stepped out and yelled at her to call the fire department.”
Investigators say someone broke into City Hall, spray-painted graffiti inside the building, and then intentionally set a fire on the second floor near the porch. Damage was extensive, including all windows broken, smoke damage throughout the interior and exterior, and all technology destroyed. Federal investigators, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, have joined the investigation.
No arrests have been announced, and authorities continue to ask anyone with information to come forward. Despite the damage and disruption, Ard said the community has rallied behind the city.
“We’ve had some really good support,” Ard said. “We’ve made a lot of progress. We’ve still got some stuff to get put together and get back up and running. We’re not on a smooth tilt yet, but we’re getting there.”
Immediately following the fire, city operations were temporarily run from the mayor’s home.
“We kind of just set up at my house and tried to start piecing things back together,” Ard said.
The city has since moved its temporary offices to the Island Park Charter School while classes are out for the summer. Ard said the idea came from the city’s new clerk, who suggested using available space at the school after students left for the summer break.
City leaders say they continue working to restore services and determine the long-term future of the damaged building.
The investigation into the arson remains active. We will continue to bring the latest updates on this developing story.
