By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing:
• Frozen lakes and a lack of nearby hydrants hampered fire crews responding to a large residential fire in Minnesota.
• The fire broke out late at night, and responders had to draft water from frozen water sources to sustain operations.
• Multiple homes were involved, and efforts focused on protecting exposures amid extreme winter conditions.
• Fire officials said water supply challenges significantly slowed suppression efforts and prompted mutual-aid assistance.
MONSON, MINN. — Fire crews faced significant water supply challenges while responding to a mass house fire amid winter conditions in Minnesota, officials said.
Responders were called to a residential area where multiple homes were burning late at night, but nearby hydrants were unavailable, and frozen lakes required drafting operations to access water for suppression activities.
Firefighters worked to establish water supply lines, draft from frozen water sources and protect nearby structures, with mutual-aid companies assisting due to the scale of the incident and harsh weather conditions.
Officials noted that the lack of immediate water supply hindered the pace of fire attack and required resourceful tactics to sustain engine operations and protect exposures.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and fire officials said they will review the incident to identify lessons learned from the water supply challenges faced during the response.