Posted: 4/15/04

Fire destroys Columbus Township home

A late afternoon fire on Thursday destroyed a Columbus Township home. Forest Lake Fire & Rescue was called to the Marc and Marcella Walton home, 7550 170th Ave. at 4:54 p.m. Fire Chief Gary Sigfrinius said the blaze started in the home's attached garage and quickly spread to the main dwelling. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal's Office. Sigfrinius said the home was a total loss with damage likely in the area of $200,000. Two pickup trucks in the garage were also destroyed. The chief said two officers from the St. Paul Police Department Bomb Squad were called to removed explosive materials in improvised containers that were stored in a dog house on the west side of the garage. Two agents from the federal ATF agency were also on the scene, the chief said. The blaze was brought under control in about an hour and firefighters remained on scene for six hours, the chief said. On-scene mutual aid was provided by the Wyoming Fire Department while volunteers from the Hugo Fire Department stood by at the Forest Lake Fire Station. (Photo By Cliff Buchan)

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