Owatonna home damaged in weekend fire

(ABC 6 News) — At around 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 19, Owatonna Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a possible basement fire on McIndoe Street SE.

Upon firefighters’ arrival, a small amount of smoke was coming from the front door. Firefighters located fire on the basement stairs and in the basement. The fire was eventually extinguished, and firefighters remained on scene for 2.5 hours to ventilate and ensure there was no further damage to the home.

“The resident was not alerted to the fire by smoke alarms but was able to safely evacuate prior to our arrival on scene,” said Ed Hoffman, Owatonna Fire Chief, via a press release. “This is a great reminder to make sure the smoke alarms in your home are working. We encourage all Owatonna residents to test your alarms monthly, change batteries twice a year, and replace smoke alarms every 10 years.”

According to the press release from OFD, the residence sustained extensive damage, and three people have been displaced because of the fire.

No injuries to residents or firefighters were reported. The cause has been ruled undetermined after investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.