House Damaged/Barn Destroyed in Meeker County Fires

A house was extensively damaged and a barn was destroyed by two separate fires in Meeker County Wednesday.

The first was an afternoon house fire in the 800 Block of 5th Street North in Dassel.

On arrival, deputies learned that Kathrine Christianson was in the backyard with three dogs when she noticed the fire. She tried to go back inside to rescue her three cats, but the smoke was too much and she did not find the cats.

The house was heavily damaged but no people were injured and the cause is under investigation.

The second fire was reported Wednesday night when a deputy was patrolling on Highway 4 when he saw a barn fully engulfed in flames on 395th Street in Union Grove Township.

The property is owned by Sheri and Kent Peterson.

The barn was unoccupied at the time of the fire and is a complete loss.

It is believed that an electric heat lamp in the barn may have been the cause of the fire.

No one was injured.