Bothell community steps up to help raise money for businesses destroyed in inferno



BOTHELL, Wash. -- After nearly 20 businesses were damaged or destroyed by fire in the heart of Bothell, people in the community are showing kindness to help those in need.

Beardslee Public House is removed from the devastation but the bustle on Monday meant the businesses destroyed by the fire will get some much needed help.

“On a Monday we are half as busy as we are today so it’s really great to see the community come out,” chef John Howie said.

People packed the restaurant, knowing all the profits would be going to the Kozy Corner Café.

“It’s been here forever,” longtime Kozy Corner Café patron said.

Decades of memories were gone when Kozy Corner Cafe burned to the ground along with nearly 20 other businesses Friday morning.

“I just want to know how it (the fire) started. I hope everybody rebuilds,” Wanzeek said.

Zulu’s Board Game Café is one of the lucky spots that suffered only minimal damage from the roaring fire.

“There are other people in way worse situations,” owner Matt Zaremba said.

Zaremba is now hoping his surveillance video he provided for fire investigators will help.

“The main thing is the timeline you can see when the fire starts and when it ends,” Zaremba said.

The surveillance video is from 2:45 a.m. Friday. It’s dark inside Zulu’s but when the apartment under construction burst into flames you can see the café light up from the heat.

Zaremba doesn’t believe it’s arson because he says he smelled burning plastic for some time before the flames erupted.

“If you wanted to burn the building down, you wouldn’t smolder plastic for about half an hour,” Zaremba said.

But nothing is ruled out until investigators pinpoint the cause. On Monday, ATF and Bothell Fire crews focused on the apartment site where the fire started.

Crews were knee deep in the rubble, digging deep to find the origin of the blaze.

It could take investigators 7 to 10 days to complete the investigation.

In the meantime, businesses are hanging open signs everywhere hoping people don’t stay away

“The community outreach has been great,” Zaremba said.