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47 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, February 24, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classifieds Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 2, 2005 Investigation into blaze at Guitar Center remains open The cause of a Monday evening fire at Medford’s Guitar Center remains under investigation. A reported electrical problem at the Crater Lake Highway store preceded the 9:20 p.m. blaze, said Medford Fire Department Battalion Chief Dan Petersen. An alarm company notified the owner of a power glitch, and when he arrived at the site, he found the building engulfed in smoke, Petersen said. Twenty-three firefighters responded to the fire and kept the flames to the back of the building, saving most of the inventory, said Medford fire inspector Randy Cooper. To reach the fire through a maze of musical instruments, crews navigated thick smoke with thermal imaging cameras, which display objects that give off heat, Petersen said. The two-alarm blaze emptied all five fire stations within Medford’s city limits. Crews controlled the fire about 27 minutes after arriving, Petersen said. Although the business remained closed Tuesday, guitars, amplifiers and other goods appeared undamaged through the store’s front windows. Guitar Center managers declined to comment on the state of the business. Two other stores in the same strip mall — Hot Springs Spas of Southern Oregon and Piano Studios had smoke damage and lost electricity, water and telephone service. Power was restored to the businesses Tuesday afternoon, said Hot Springs owner Gordon Kamm, whose business remained open. The fire’s cause likely will be released today, Cooper said. The blaze did not appear suspicious, he added. Because of the potential high-dollar loss, Oregon State Police assisted in the investigation, Cooper said. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress Advertisement s