Blaze destroys store on Fifth Avenue

Scottsdale police are investigating a possible arson that gutted a store downtown late Sunday night.

People walking past Indian Nation, 7121 E. Fifth Ave., noticed smoke around 11 p.m. and alerted police, said detective Sam Bailey.

The fire caused heavy smoke damage throughout the small shop, and early estimates put the cost near $300,000, he said.

The store, like many others on Fifth Avenue, sells American Indian jewelry and Hopi kachina dolls, said the store’s owner, Athena Wong.

Wong has run the store for more than four years, and after police notified her of the fire, she spent most of the night watching over the smoldering building. She was not allowed to enter the building.

"We haven’t gotten any sleep at all, none," Wong said as she and her husband waited for an insurance representative to arrive.

The fire is being investigated as arson, but police found no evidence of forced entry or burglary, Bailey said.

"It was a kind of night when we have a fair amount of activities going on because of the bars and nightclubs. We sometimes have people who have too much to drink and do stupid things," he said.