No one was injured in shed fire

By Robert Williams

Editor

A detached shed was burned down to the studs in a structure fire on Thursday, Nov. 30 in rural Frazee. Emergency crews responded to a shed on fire just before noon at 10446 Becker County Highway 29.

The address is located between Park Road and Eagle Lake Road, less than a half-mile from the Otter Tail and Becker County line.

County Highway 29 was closed for a portion of the day as fire, police, gas company and emergency crews contained the fire and protected a nearby gas line that had police deputies keeping neighbors and onlookers well clear of the fire. 

According to Frazee Fire Chief Nathan Matejka, Minnesota Energy Resources employees arrived on scene and notified him of the proximity of the gas line to the fire, specifically a portion of the gas line that is above ground and near the burning shed.

Firefighters monitored the line and doused it with water to control temperature while Highway Department crews dug up a portion of County Highway 29 to access a gas line shut-off valve.

The detached shed near the edge of the property was fully engulfed in flames emitting a plume of smoke that was visible from downtown Frazee and for passing travelers on nearby U.S. Highway 10.

According to a local mail carrier, as emergency crews were arriving motorists driving by the fire on Highway 29 could feel the heat of the blaze from the road before fire crews knocked the flames down.

The mutual aid from the multiple fire departments contained the fire to just the shed and kept it from spreading to a trailer house and a garage on the property.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Becker County Sheriff’s Office, Frazee Police and Rescue assisted Frazee, Vergas and Detroit Lakes fire departments at the scene.