Work to dismantle the damaged building began this afternoon (December 19, 2023) as the search continues for a missing business owner after a weekend fire destroyed the historic Fairhaven Terminal Building. No injuries or other missing persons have been reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Bellingham Police have confirmed Nathaniel V. Breaux, 39, is listed as a missing person in connection with the fire. Anyone with information about Breaux’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Police non-emergency number, (360) 676-6911.
Bellingham Fire Chief Bill Hewett said heavy equipment crews arrived at the site today to start disassembling the brick exterior and remove large debris inside the structure. Portions of 11th Street and Harris Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic adjacent to the building while this is occurring. The sidewalks across the street will remain open to allow pedestrian access to the adjacent businesses.
“Our priority continues to be completing a search of the structure for any potential victims and then to attempt to determine the exact origin and cause of the fire,” Hewett said.
The Fire Department will continue to maintain a 24-hour presence at the site until the search of the building is successfully completed, Hewett said. The on-site operation may continue for several days. Additional updates will be provided when there are significant developments.
For more details about the fire, see our original December 17 news release One person unaccounted for after overnight fire destroys historic building and our December 18 update.
