A late-night phone call, waking me at around 10:48 pm, informed me that Old Town Antique Market, the building at 808 Main Street in downtown Vancouver, was on fire. It took me nine minutes to arrive on the scene: Three fire engines between 8th and 9th on Main, caution tape blocking the street, black smoke billowing from the top floor.I was in shock. Water hoses were snaking through the shattered front glass doors. Firefighters by the dozens, laden with dozens of pounds of equipment and gear, were dragging out unrecognizable material, throwing it unceremoniously into a steaming pile in the street.
My heart sank. This was the newly renovated addition to Old Town Antique Market, which opened in the building next door at 806 Main Street less than a year ago. We had spent three months renovating the main floor and basement at 808 Main, formerly Boyd’s 88, Community Bike Shop, and a late-night video gaming center, and had opened the doors to the addition only weeks 
earlier.
The Vancouver Firefighters on the scene asked me many questions and kept me informed throughout the fire. They informed me that the fire had started, and was restricted to, the third floor, comprising Baldwin Sales and Lighting, and the sodden objects being thrown into the streets was the detritus from that area.
At the point that they were confident the fire was under control, the firefighters did an amazing thing.The Department brought in dozens of huge tarps. They took the time and initiative to take objects off top shelves of glass cubicles filled with antiques and collectibles. They covered these with the tarps, as well as the antique furniture. Their initiative insured that these valuable objects, while not fire or smoke damaged, would not be ruined by the water coming through the ceiling from their efforts on the top floor. Because of their efforts, these brave and considerate men and women, Old Town Antique Market never even had a broken glass.
Within 12 hours of the fire, thousands of items offered for sale by our vendors had been moved into our original and adjoining building at 806 Main. Sadly, the inventory of Zephyr Vintage Books was not as fortunate.Kol Shaver, owner of the Zephyr Vintage Books for 14 years, recently moved his business from up the street into his new digs within Old Town Antique Market at 808 Main.
His locked office was in a small mezzanine space directly below where the fire started. Water from above completely soaked some 3,000 precious books and prints, to the point where, after the fact, a book couldn’t be pulled from the shelf due to swelling. Although the 7000 books on the main floor of Old Town Antique Market were neither fire nor water damaged, they were also damaged due to smoke absorption within the pages and covers.
To a bibliophile, a loss of this magnitude is devastating. “It’s like losing parts of yourself,” Shaver said. Fortunately, Shaver has carried business insurance during all of Zephyr Vintage Books 14-year history. As a result, he is in the process of building up his inventory, buying large collections, and doing book fairs. He plans to reopen as part of Old Town Antique Market when renovation is complete, as early as May 1. Shaver’s loss was estimated to reach $50,000. His business insurance is expected to cover all his losses, and he is thankful he kept his inventory and cataloging up to date.
INSURING YOUR OWN COLLECTION
There are all levels of collecting, from a child’s assortment of rocks, marbles, baseball cards, and Barbies. There is insurance available for collectors who sell their items – online, at antique and collectible shows, or at an antique mall. The question is, at what point should one’s personal collection be separately insured, above and beyond the usual renter’s insurance or homeowner’s policy?
Generally, a homeowner’s policy will cover a limited amount of personal property. After a loss, one would be reimbursed with an amount to replace an item for its functional value – in other words, a Louis XIV chair, not insured separately, would be replaced at a general rate for a functional chair, not a priceless antique.
To insure items valued above a certain amount, the items must have an appraisal by order to insure items above add or “schedule” and item to be insured above and beyond the basic coverage, insurance companies require items above a certain value (each I spoke to had different requirements: $2,500, $5,000, $9,000, depending on the company) to be appraised.
FIRST SITE OF THE FIRE
I could see through the doors Feb. 9--A fire that broke out upstairs in a downtown Vancouver building late Tuesday caused an estimated $335,000 in damage to the structure and its contents, an official said Thursday.
But the blaze at 808 Main St. could have been far worse, had it not been reported soon after it started, said Jim Flaherty, firefighter-spokesman for the Vancouver Fire Department. The fire, reported about 10:39 p.m. Tuesday, started in an upstairs area occupied by Baldwin Sales and Lighting, operated by Brent Baldwin.
His mother, Elaine Baldwin of Portland, owns the building. His father, Boyd Baldwin, operated Boyd's 88 Center there for many years.Investigators said Thursday that the fire is believed to have been unintentional.
Although the cause remains under investigation, preliminary indications are that it may have been caused by two electrical cords at the point of origin, Flaherty said.Investigators haven't ruled out the possibility the cause was a discarded cigarette. Lab tests may provide more information later, Flaherty said.Besides structural damage estimated at $220,000, three businesses suffered significant losses:Baldwin Sales and Lighting, $35,000.Old Town Antique Market, downstairs, $30,000. Zephyr Used and Rare Books, $50,000.
Dusty Zinda, a bartender who was working across the street at the Side Bar lounge, heard an explosion and breaking glass. He ran out and saw black smoke pouring from a broken-out window but no flames outside.His call to 911 gave firefighters an early start, Flaherty said.Firefighters immediately decided to make an aggressive attack, going upstairs with their hoses rather than pouring in water from outside."That was high heat and coal-black smoke they encountered as they were going up the stairwell," Flaherty said. "They wouldn't have seen a finger in front of their face. They were all blacked out."Feeling their way toward the most intense heat, the entry crews used their hoses with short, targeted bursts rather than spraying large amounts of water everywhere, Flaherty said.That strategy is believed to have stopped the blaze while minimizing water damage to the businesses. Meanwhile, firefighters who were downstairs placed tarps over valuables to protect them.Nicole Leslie is a Vancouver resident and the proprietor of Old Town Antique Market, located in downtown Vancouver .
Monthly rental of spaces and cases, buying fine individual items or entire estates. Tel: 360-750-9100 Fax: 360-750-9300. Send questions and comments to:Email: nicole@oldtownantiquemarket.com website: www.oldtownantiquemarket.comor c/o Nicole Leslie 806 Main Street, Vancouver, WA 98660
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