(Superior)– A garbage fire that got out of hand has been cited as the cause of a blaze that destroyed two out-buildings and caused two 300 gallon gas tanks to explode. It happened late Sunday afternoon on a farm site southwest of Superior, near Lily Lake.
Six area fire departments battled the blaze for a couple of hours.
Superior Fire Chief Mel Wernimont says his department was called to the Dan Messer residence at 1749 290th Avenue around 5:15 p.m.
He says the blaze was quickly spreading. At that point, fire departments from Spirit Lake, Terril, Arnolds Park/Okoboji, Milford and Wallingford were called to assist.
Wernimont says two small outbuildings and their contents, including some motorcycles, mowers, tools and other miscellaneous items, were completely destroyed. He says the blaze spread to four other buildings, but firefighters were able to save them. They also managed to keep the fire from spreading to a house.
Wernimont says no livestock was lost, thanks to the help of neighbors who helped move them to safety.
A total dollar amount on the loss and damage wasn’t immediately available.
No injuries were reported. Wernimont says the family got out of the area a short time before the fuel tanks exploded.
Even though the house wasn’t damaged, Wernimont says the American Red Cross provided the family with accomodations for the night, as power to the farm site had to be shut off.
Firefighters remained on the scene until about 8:00 p.m.
In addition to the previously mentioned fire departments, Wernimont says the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office and Dickinson County Emergency Management also assisted on the scene.
He says the Estherville Fire Department was put on standby as a precaution.
