Rural Rochester Area Home Destroyed by Fire
Pine Island, MN (KROC-AM News)- A space heater is the suspected source of a fire that destroyed a home in Pine Island over the weekend.
A news release from the Pine Island Fire Department says firefighters responded to a property along 154th Ave. way shortly before 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The blaze was reported by a passing motorist on Olmsted County Rd. 11 west of Pine Island in Roscoe Township.
Officials say muddy conditions hampered the fire response, forcing fire crews to carry hoses 50 yards from the trucks that could not get through the mud. Half of the house had collapsed during the fire by the time firefighters were in position to knock down the flames, the news release says.
Crews were able to extinguish the flames before they reached a nearby shed after having water hauled to scene from Pine Island. The home and the contents inside were deemed a total loss.
The Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office responded for an investigation that determined a space heater in the back bedroom of the home may have contributed to the fire. No injuries were reported, however officials say several firefighters fell while battling the flames in the slippery conditions. Crews were at the scene until about 6 p.m. Saturday.
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