Investigators in Burley are still piecing together what happened early Monday morning when an empty downtown building was gutted by fire and a bomb was discovered in front of a business across the street.
No suspects have been named or arrested in the case, but authorities located a white pickup truck captured on video that was in the area around the time the fire broke out in the early hours of Monday. It’s unclear if the driver is a person of interest.
In addition to the blaze, investigators discovered a pipe bomb tucked into the door handle of the building across the street. They say its fuse had been lit, but it failed to detonate. According to authorities, that could provide crucial evidence.
The Times News reports both buildings involved in the incident are total losses. While the fire gutted an empty structure, water damage completely ruined the new and still unopened Kassiani Restaurant and Bakery. Both of the impacted buildings are owned by area businessman Brek Pilling.
Fire investigators say the blaze was arson but aren’t sure if it was sparked by an explosive device. Once the fire was out, the bomb squad from Twin Falls was called in to detonate the pipe bomb found at the entrance of the restaurant.
The Cassia County Sheriff’s Office and Burley Fire Department are being assisted on the case by the state fire marshal and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
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