SAN MIGUEL COUNTY – San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Norman Squier said Wednesday that his department has eliminated all possibility of natural causes in what could have started a fire that burned a historic cabin in the Alta Townsite.

The fire, which destroyed one building, occurred August 24 at approximately 5 a.m. Squier said that while investigators are “still looking into it,” he doesn’t believe the fire sprang from natural causes.

Squier said he was glad the historic building was the only building destroyed.

“I would say it is fortunate that this building was the only thing to sustain substantial damage,” he said of the historic structure. Otherwise, “there is probably one tree that was damaged enough that it will have to be destroyed, but that’s it.”

The Sheriff’s office is seeking anyone with information that may lead to the person or persons who started the blaze.

“We are not only asking for those with information to call, we offering a reward for any information that leads us to the person or information that we need,” he said.

Squier can be reached at 970/728-3474.