Sheriff: Electrical issue may have caused Grand Meadow fire
Published 10:22 am Monday, April 11, 2016
An excavator pulls away a portion of a wall as firefighters put water on a bodyshop in Grand Meadow Friday afternoon.
Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
GRAND MEADOW — A Friday fire that destroyed a Grand Meadow body shop started inside when the owner was sandblasting outside.
Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi said owner Mark Monnier was sandblasting outside and went inside to find smoke and flames in the body shop.
While an official cause has not been determined, it could be because of an electrical issue, according to Amazi.
Neighbors called the Grand Meadow Fire Department Friday afternoon to report the blaze at the body shop.
“Not sure what happened,” GM Fire Chief Ryan Gehling said. “We got the call about 10 [minutes] after 3 p.m. The building was fully engulfed.”
The building was a total loss. Firefighters were able to get a few vehicles out of the building, but some were believed to be inside and lost to the fire.
The fire was put out around 5:30 p.m., and a fire inspector was called to the scene.
The building was next to Baudoin Oil Co., and firefighters were working to ensure the stored oil didn’t catch on fire.
Smoke could be seen from about a mile away, and the Spring Valley Fire Department assisted at the scene.
