SPICER - Firefighters from six departments battled a blaze that destroyed the former Green Lake Trailer Works building Monday morning in Green Lake Township.
The building on the 13000 block of Green Lake Boulevard was engulfed in flames when the first firefighters with the Spicer Fire Department reached the scene, according to Assistant Fire Chief Tige Sluka. The fire call came at 6:58 a.m.
Firefighters with the Willmar, New London, Kandiyohi, Atwater and Belgrade departments assisted. The Willmar Fire Department aerial truck was employed in battling the blaze. The Spicer First Responders, New London Ambulance and the Minnesota State Patrol and Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office also assisted.
The fire started in the southeast corner of the structure, and firefighters initially attempted to keep it from reaching the area of the building holding the offices and tools. The building had multiple roofs due to different additions to it.
The building has been vacant for over a year, but it was full of stored materials, according to Sluka. Much of the material was metal, including equipment such as welders and torches.
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The manpower provided by neighboring departments made it possible to rotate firefighters. Hot, humid conditions added to the challenge of battling the intense blaze.
No one was injured and no one suffered heat stroke despite the conditions, Sluka said. Spicer firefighters remained at the scene for five hours. The building and contents are considered a total loss.
The State Fire Marshal's Office was called to investigate the cause of the fire, which is undetermined at this time.
