PEQUOT LAKES — A mother and her son escaped injury in a destructive house fire during the early morning hours Sunday, Feb. 14, in Pequot Lakes.
The house fire was reported at 1:47 a.m. on the 4700 block of Olson Road, south of Pequot Lakes. The garage attached to the home was engulfed when firefighters arrived, Pequot Lakes Fire Chief Tom Nelson said, and the fire was making its way into the attic of the home.
Firefighters from Ideal and Nisswa fire departments were called to assist in fighting the fire as temperatures lingered at 20 degrees below zero with a wind chill of 27 below zero.
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Nelson said when firefighters arrived, they learned from the Pequot Lakes Police Department two people inside were able to get out unharmed. The residents, Amy Moyer and her son, rented the home. Nelson said Moyer’s adult daughter, along with a dog and two cats, also live in the home. Nelson could not confirm if the daughter was home at the time of the fire as the initial report only stated two people were in the house.
Nelson said the fire started in the garage, but it is not known at this time how the fire started.
The cause of the fire is not suspicious, but the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate to determine the cause.
The fire also destroyed a vehicle parked outside of the home. Nelson estimated the property loss of the home and contents to be about $140,000.
There were about 35 firefighters between the three fire departments at the scene, which includes about 23 firefighters from Pequot Lakes. The Nisswa Police Department and North Memorial Health Ambulance also assisted at the scene.
Nelson said firefighters were at the residence about four hours. The frigid temperatures did not cause any issues with the fire equipment; however, Nelson said since it was dark outside and so cold that when they sprayed water visibility was low between the steam and the lingering smoke.
The American Red Cross was called to assist Moyer and her family. A GoFundMe account has been set up for Moyer’s family by a friend, Amanda Keppers. As of noon Tuesday, $670 was raised. To donate go to gofundme.com/f/subzero-housefire-everything-lost .
On the GoFundMe account, Keppers wrote Moyer and her son were forced to evacuate the home and go out into the icy cold with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
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“Only a small handful of items were salvageable. This family is beyond amazing and have already faced so much in these last few months. With her 19 year old son .., daughter ... and family dog Gus ... Amy is faced with starting over from scratch! What is needed you may ask. Anything and everything! Bedding, dishes, blankets, toiletries, bags, furniture, dog food (Iams), etc...ANYTHING! Please help in any way that you can. Thank you!”
This is the third house fire reported in the past few days in the Brainerd lakes area. Fire also destroyed a home in Emily and Nimrod, and all the fires happened in subzero temperatures. A man and his dog perished in the Emily fire.
When temperatures are frigid Nelson suggested people check their patio doors to make sure they open in case of a fire. He also encourages people to make sure their batteries are working in their smoke detectors.
