The cause of a hotel fire in Dexter on Dec. 25 has been ruled non-suspicious by the State Fire Marshal.

Fire Marshal Steve Wolf ruled the fire at The Windmill Hotel Conference & Banquet Center, was probably started by a malfunctioning space heater/air conditioning unit or outlet that supplied electricity to those. The hotel is on the east end of the center, which is located at 120 Minnesota Highway 16 in Dexter, just off Interstate 90.

According to Mower County Chief Deputy Mark May, hotel owner Gary Quam was working in the hotel on Dec. 23 and was using the space heaters in the area where the fire occurred.

Quam, who lives in Bloomington, was trying to fix up some areas in order to re-open the property. The building is not insured, May said.

Dexter and Grand Meadow fire departments responded to the fire after it was reported at 4:35 p.m.

No damage estimate was reported, but damage was significant in the area.

Find the original story here: https://www.austindailyherald.com/2016/12/dexter-hotel-catches-fire/