PEQUOT LAKES - Pequot Lakes firefighters had a busy Friday morning with two - back-to-back fires - one a house fire and the other an apartment inside a business.
Firefighters were called at 10:40 a.m. to a house fire on the 28000 block of Crow Wing County Road 107, just south of Pequot Lakes. As firefighters from Pequot Lakes, Nisswa and Ideal were battling the fire in a five-bedroom, three-bath home, a fire was reported at 11:46 a.m. at the Thrift Shop in Jenkins.
Fire crews were split with firefighters finishing up at the house fire, while others responded to the fire in Jenkins.
The homeowners, who did not want to comment, were able to retrieve their two cats and two dogs. They carried the cats in a pet porter and dogs, wearing pet sweaters for warmth, to a neighbor's home.
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Photo Gallery and Slideshow from Pequot Lakes House Fire - KLICK Here!
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Kate Petersen, a Pequot Lakes firefighter, said when firefighters arrived at the home on County Road 107, heavy smoke was coming from the basement. She said the fire took out the interior stairway and firefighters had to break windows to get air.
"It was a struggle to get to the basement because it was burning for a long time," Petersen said. "Half of the stairway was burned when we arrived.
"We don't know yet how the fire started."
About 15 firefighters from Pequot Lakes responded to the house fire, along with another 15 firefighters from Nisswa and Ideal. North Memorial Ambulance and Pequot Lakes Ambulance also were on scene. The Brainerd Fire Department was called to help with cleanup.
On the apartment fire call, located in the back of the Thrift Shop in Jenkins, fire and heavy smoke was reported.
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Photo Gallery and Slideshow from Jenkins Thrift Shop apartment - KLICK Here!
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Pequot Lakes Fire Chief Tom Nelson said all the contents in the small 20-foot by 12-foot apartment were destroyed. However, the structure of the building was fine.
"There was a couch on fire when we got there," Nelson said. "We are still trying to determine the cause of the fire."
Nelson said the American Red Cross was called to help the individuals who were living in the apartment and the house.
Nelson said firefighters did well with responding to back-to-back calls.
"We had enough mutual aid and resources so everything worked good," said Nelson.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl .
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