CUSTER, Whatcom County — An owner of a Northwest Washington dahlia nursery has been killed by a fire that also forced the flower business to temporarily shut down.

The Bellingham Herald reported Walt Wynne of Wynne’s Dahlias died Saturday in a fire at his home. The newspaper saids Wynne’s website, wynnesdahlias.com, was updated to note that in addition to the death, the business lost all its dahlia tubers and customer data.

The family plans to refund money from all pending orders, but says that will take time.