Published: Thursday, July 23, 2009
Fire damages iconic Marysville caboose
The blaze leaves Marysville Strawberry Festival volunteers with nowhere to work.
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Dan Bates / The Herald
The Marysville Strawberry Festival caboose on Cedar Avenue in Marysville sits inside yellow warning tape Wednesday after a fire that caused $7,500 in damage.
MARYSVILLE — A fire Sunday caused $7,500 damage to a city icon and left volunteers with the annual Marysville Strawberry Festival looking for new offices.
Police believe someone may have accidentally set a fire outside the red caboose at the corner of Fourth Street and Cedar Avenue, officials said.
The fire was reported about 5 p.m., Marysville Fire District spokeswoman Kristen Thorstenson said. Fire investigators haven’t been able to immediately determine the cause.
The office space in the caboose now can’t be used.
“It was really hard just because of the all the work that everybody’s done,” strawberry festival vice president Angie Miller said.
Some festival materials were damaged, including historic posters that may be ruined, she said. The festival has been held almost every year since the idea was first conceived in 1932.
The caboose is owned by the city and leased to Maryfest Inc., the nonprofit that puts on the annual festival and promotes the city in parades around the Northwest.
Insurance adjusters for the city are expected to inspect the damage today to determine the best course of action, which could include closing the caboose for good, said Mike Robinson, the city’s parks maintenance manager.
“We’ve got probably more questions than answers at this point,” he said.
Until a decision is made, Maryfest needs to find a temporary home for up to a year, Miller said.
Marysville city officials said they’ll try to help the festival group, but the public also is being asked to pitch in.
Thousands flock each year to Marysville during the third weekend of June to eat strawberry shortcake and watch the city’s parade.
As soon as the festival is over, planning starts for the next year, Miller said.
“We are fortunate that this occurred following the annual event,” city manager Mary Swenson said. “It would have been devastating if this happened prior to our annual festival.”
Nearly 50 people volunteer yearround to help promote the festival and tourism, Miller said. Many more people volunteer at festival time.
Maryfest does more than just run the festival, though, Miller said. Volunteers participate in parades nearly every weekend all over the Northwest. They’ve recently received national attention by participating in the Holiday Bowl Parade in San Diego.
Marysville police are investigating the fire.
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.
You can help
The Marysville Strawberry Festival is looking for a temporary place to relocate after a Sunday fire left their office uninhabitable. Anyone who has office space that may be suitable is asked to send an e-mail to angiem@maryfest.com.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Marysville police at 360-363-8300.
Police believe someone may have accidentally set a fire outside the red caboose at the corner of Fourth Street and Cedar Avenue, officials said.
The fire was reported about 5 p.m., Marysville Fire District spokeswoman Kristen Thorstenson said. Fire investigators haven’t been able to immediately determine the cause.
The office space in the caboose now can’t be used.
“It was really hard just because of the all the work that everybody’s done,” strawberry festival vice president Angie Miller said.
Some festival materials were damaged, including historic posters that may be ruined, she said. The festival has been held almost every year since the idea was first conceived in 1932.
The caboose is owned by the city and leased to Maryfest Inc., the nonprofit that puts on the annual festival and promotes the city in parades around the Northwest.
Insurance adjusters for the city are expected to inspect the damage today to determine the best course of action, which could include closing the caboose for good, said Mike Robinson, the city’s parks maintenance manager.
“We’ve got probably more questions than answers at this point,” he said.
Until a decision is made, Maryfest needs to find a temporary home for up to a year, Miller said.
Marysville city officials said they’ll try to help the festival group, but the public also is being asked to pitch in.
Thousands flock each year to Marysville during the third weekend of June to eat strawberry shortcake and watch the city’s parade.
As soon as the festival is over, planning starts for the next year, Miller said.
“We are fortunate that this occurred following the annual event,” city manager Mary Swenson said. “It would have been devastating if this happened prior to our annual festival.”
Nearly 50 people volunteer yearround to help promote the festival and tourism, Miller said. Many more people volunteer at festival time.
Maryfest does more than just run the festival, though, Miller said. Volunteers participate in parades nearly every weekend all over the Northwest. They’ve recently received national attention by participating in the Holiday Bowl Parade in San Diego.
Marysville police are investigating the fire.
Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.
You can help
The Marysville Strawberry Festival is looking for a temporary place to relocate after a Sunday fire left their office uninhabitable. Anyone who has office space that may be suitable is asked to send an e-mail to angiem@maryfest.com.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Marysville police at 360-363-8300.
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