PORT ANGELES — A fire late on Saturday destroyed the newly renovated two-bedroom manager’s apartment and office of the Indian Valley Motel — a local landmark for the past 50 years.
The motel, which is next to another landmark, Granny’s Cafe, is owned by Terry and Carol Roszatycki.
Both the cafe and motel are leased by the couple’s daughter, Angela Roszatycki, who manages both, Terry Roszatycki said.
The restaurant and motel are about 13 miles west of Port Angeles on U.S. Highway 101.
Terry and Carol Roszatycki were at their home, which is just a couple hundred yards from the two businesses, when neighbors told them they spotted smoke from the motel.
“We told them to call 9-1-1, and then I got right over there,” Terry Roszatycki said.
“We managed to get the dogs out, but it was already too late for everything else.
“I got out the garden hoses, but there wasn’t anything I could do.”
George, a female sheep dog, managed to open a screen door and lead Milo, a male highland terrier, out of the smoking apartment, Terry Roszatycki said.
Angela was not there at the time, he said.
“We had to tell her by phone,” he said.
“For now, she is staying with us, but we are not sure what is going to happen.”
Roszatycki said after the fire department was called at about 10 p.m.
It took about a half hour for engines to arrive.
“By the time they got there, it was too late,” he said.
Roszatycki said the building was insured but he didn’t know what would be covered.
The cause of the fire was unknown, Clallam County Fire District No. 2 said in a news release.
Roszatycki said he believed it was an electrical fire.
He said the apartment was newly renovated.
“I had just finished having everything redone,” he said.
“Everything in Angela’s apartment was new — a new kitchen, new living room, everything.”
No one was staying in the motel on Saturday night, he said.
“The night before there were, but luckily that night no one was there,” he said.
“This time is really our slower time.”
Clallam County Fire District No. 2 said the units arrived at about 10:30 p.m. and fought the blaze for about six hours.
“They worked really hard to save the rooms of the motel,” Roszatycki said.
The first three rooms of the motel — which is connected to the manager’s apartment — were damaged by either smoke or water, but the rest should be fine, he said.
The sign for the restaurant and motel was singed on one side and the plastic had begun to crumple under the heat of the flames.
Three engines, three tenders and 21 firefighters responded to the scene, Clallam County Fire District No. 2 said.
The Roszatyckis have owned the motel and cafe since 2000.
The restaurant was opened in 1956 and the motel in 1957.
“Back then it was just a drive-through burger joint,” he said.
He said the business stays hopping during the spring and summer months and that during the winter it is slower.
__________
Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.