A Monday night fire was contained to straw bales stacked outside Bjerga's Feed Store in downtown Brainerd.
Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said the cause of the fire at the long-time Front Street business is under investigation. The fire was reported at 8:47 p.m. Holmes said there was no damage to the building and the fire must have started just shortly before it was spotted.
"There was no damage to the building at all," Holmes said.
The feed store was the subject of a suspected arson in a July 30, 2010, fire. At that time the Minnesota Arson Reward Project offered a reward, up to $2,500, for information leading to the identification of suspects. In 2010, the fire also appeared to have started in the area where straw bales were stored outside the loading dock on the building's east side. Five years ago, the fire traveled up a wall and into an overhang. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. The interior of the building sustained some smoke damage. The damage to the exterior dock was estimated at $25,000. The fire did not keep the store from opening the following day. The state fire marshal's office was still investigating the suspicious 2010 fire in December of that year.
As for Monday's fire, Holmes credited a large response of firefighters to Monday's fire and said the fire was put out quickly.
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It was the fifth fire call on a busy day for the Brainerd Fire Department. Firefighters also took part in hovercraft training Monday for cold water rescue.
RENEE RICHARDSON, associate editor, may be reached at 218-855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com . Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Dispatchbizbuzz
