Jul 27, 2008 5:57 pm US/Central
Fire Destroys Million Dollar Home In Independence
INDEPENDENCE, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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More than 50 firefighters from a dozen different departments battled the heat and the humidity trying to get the fire under control.
CBS
A fire in rural Hennepin County has left a family without a home. The fire started around noon Sunday at a house in rural Independence, about 30 minutes from Minneapolis. No one was home at the time and a neighbor called 911.
More than 50 firefighters from a dozen different departments battled the heat and the humidity trying to get the fire under control.
"It was lots of fire. The roof was totally engulfed," said neighbor Jerry Grewe.
Robert Powell was in the neighborhood when half a dozen fire trucks sped by him.
"It's a beautiful house and it's not a house anymore," said Powell.
Fire officials said the house, worth more than a million dollars, is a loss. But luckily no one was hurt.
Because the house is in a rural part of Independence, water had to be supplied by tanker trucks. Those trucks had to use country roads to get to the fire.
Maple Plain Fire Chief Nate Jerde said crews were on scene within 10 minutes of receiving the 911 call. The fact that this fire happened on a Sunday may have been a big reason why it took less than an hour to get it under control.
"I know three of us came from church together. So that works well when you can bunch up," said Jerde.
They also got help from ultimate frisbee players who were playing in a tournament 200 yards away.
"It was during a point we all stopped playing and looked over at the house and it was completely smoked," said Rachel Swiggum.
As smoke and debris were blowing onto the field, some of the players ran over to the home to make sure no one was inside. Play eventually resumed, while firefighters worked to put out the flames.
"I had never seen anything like that before in my life," said Swiggum.
Jerde said the family has been notified and they were five hours away when the fire started. The State Fire Marshal is expected to investigate, but fire officials on scene said this fire does not appear suspicious.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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