Fire Marshal working on cause of Big Kandi Lake, Minn., house explosion

WILLMAR -- The State Fire Marshal is continuing to investigate to determine the cause of a fatal house explosion and fire Wednesday afternoon on Big Kandiyohi Lake.

According to Kandiyohi County Sheriff Dan Hartog, the man found dead in the house by emergency responders is Daniel Ray Rustad, 64, of Lake Lillian.

Rustad lived alone in the home, along the 6400 block of 126th Avenue Southeast, Hartog said.

A citizen saw the smoke from across the lake and called law enforcement around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. The Blomkest and Lake Lillian fire departments responded to extinguish the blaze, which also melted the siding on the neighboring homes. The Kandiyohi County Rescue Squad and Lake Lillian Ambulance were also called to the scene.

Rustad's body was sent to the Anoka County Medical Examiner for identification, Hartog said. It is unknown how long it will take to determine the cause of the explosion and blaze.