Officials determined the fire forcing the evacuation of more than 30 assisted living residents Thursday night in Pequot Lakes was arson.
Pequot Lakes Fire Chief Tom Nelson said Friday evidence showed the Thursday night fire at Heritage House of Pequot Lakes was intentionally set. No arrests were made by midday Friday as the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office conducted interviews. Nelson declined to confirm whether anyone besides staff members or residents were determined to be on the property at the time.
The blaze was reported at 7:40 p.m. Thursday in the Lower Lodge residence of the assisted living facility located at 5384 Country Care Lane. Despite a hectic scene of people in nursing scrubs, elderly residents with walkers and wheelchairs and emergency responders of all stripes, everyone was reported safe as the fire was quickly contained.
Thirty firefighters from the Pequot Lakes and Nisswa fire departments arrived to fight the fire, which Nelson said was contained to one room and was knocked down in 20 minutes. An estimate on the cost of the damage was unavailable Friday afternoon.
Nelson said residents of Lower Lodge were not returned to their rooms Thursday night. He said a strong odor of smoke permeated the building and, given the nature of the residents, some of whom are reliant on oxygen, officials determined it best to find alternate housing.
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"We did not let them occupy that building last night," Nelson said. "Between the other buildings that the Heritage House has, they were able to find enough beds for the people that were displaced."
Nelson said he was pleased with the evacuation efforts of the Heritage House staff members, and noted police officers from Pequot Lakes, Breezy Point and Nisswa assisted.
"The staff did very well in getting the residents out," Nelson said. "A lot of them are in wheelchairs and not the most mobile people."
North Memorial Ambulance personnel were on scene as a precaution and to assist with any possible transfers of medically fragile residents.
Heritage House of Pequot Lakes is located on a 20-acre campus with five residential units serving the needs of the aging population. Those needs range from independent individuals to those completely dependent, the company's website stated.
