Wood Burning Stove May Have Caused Fire in Rice Lake

RICE LAKE, Minn. — A wood burning stove may have caused a garage to go up in flames in Rice Lake on Wednesday, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office.

A driver passing through the area smelled smoke and called 9-1-1 shortly before 7:30 a.m.

When emergency personnel responded, they discovered a garage on Fayre Road was one fire.

The homeowner was inside his house and asleep.

His garage and several vehicles are all a total loss, but no one was hurt.

While the fire is still under investigation, the Sheriff’s Office said it seems to have started from a wood burning stove.

The Rice Lake Fire Department, Gnesen Fire Department, and the Air National Guard Fire Department all responded to the fire.