A building fire has reduced the famed R.L. Winston Rod Co. bamboo fly rod making building to ashes last Sunday.
Twin Bridges, Montana, experienced a fire that destroyed an R.L Winston Rod Co. bamboo rod making facility early last Sunday.
The 911 call happened at 3:30 a.m. but the building was consumed by the flames when firefighters got on scene. Fire fighters from several departments brought the blaze under control but the facility was completely destroyed.
Initial investigation suspect the fire started because of electrical problems within the building associated with some of the rod making power equipment.
Mop-up of the scene began at approximately 8:00 a.m. that Sunday morning. Utility workers also restored electricity to some of the nearby residences after a power knock-out due to the blaze.
The assessment on value loss with the building is underway, but is likely to be significant as it was filled with bamboo and rod making equipment.
R.L. Winston Rod Co. also has a newer fly rod making facility a few blocks away in Twin Bridges and the company remains a revered manufacturer of quality fly rods within fly fishing circles. The company started making rods in San Francisco in 1929 but in 1975 the owners moved to the heartland of trout fishing in Montana. This move put the fly rod company right in the vicinity of famous trout waters such as the Beaverhead, Jefferson, Big Hole and Ruby rivers.
R.L. Winston Rod Co. announced that it would "double down" on rod making to keep their quality products available on the market.
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