Fire levels Whiskey Jacques'

Early morning fire also hits Dirty Little Roddy's site

By :EXPRESS STAFF

An early morning fire has reduced longtime Ketchum fixture Whiskey Jacques' to rubble.

The fire also gutted the former Dirty Little Roddy's bar and did significant damage to the Sawtooth Club. Power to the west side of Main Street was out this morning for a two-block span from the First Bank of Idaho to the 200 block, where the fire occurred. 

Ketchum's Main Street has been closed to traffic. Detours through side streets are marked.

 "This is pretty catastrophic," said Kim Rogers, spokeswoman for the Ketchum Police Department. "We're talking economically and historically."

 

Express Photo by Willy Cook 

Dirty Little Roddy's and Whiskey's are deemed total losses.

A state fire marshal was en route this morning to investigate.

The emergency call came in at 3:09 a.m.  Reports were that smoke was coming from Dirty Little Roddy's in the 200 block of Main Street. Firefighters were on site within five minutes.

People in Ketchum are asked to curtail irrigating or landscaping water today because water pressure is low in town and needed for firefighting efforts.

About 20 firefighting vehicles responded. More than 70 firefighting and law enforcement personnel have been on the scene since early this morning.

"We're looking for major relief from outside the valley right now," said Rogers. 

By early morning Monday, a crowd had gathered to watch the firefighting efforts.

"In the 35 years I've lived here I've never seen anything like this," said Sherry Daech, longtime real estate professional.

The building that housed Dirty Little Roddy's is owned by Ore House LLC, which includes Robert Kantor and George Kirk as the property manager.

Contacted by the Idaho Mountain Express today, Kirk said was still digesting the information about the fire, and had no immediate plans for the building.

Whiskey Jacques' is owned by Karin Martin.

If you have information about the fire or memories about any of the Main Street institutions involved in this fire, please contact the Idaho Mountain Express at news@mtexpress.com, or call 726-8060 and ask for the editor.

Check back often for updates and see Wednesday's Idaho Mountain Express for a full story.