A rapidly spreading grass fire on Saturday afternoon escalated into a significant blaze, destroying a home and garage and threatening multiple residences in Welch Township.
Around 2:42 p.m., the Miesville Fire Department responded to initial reports of a grass fire near Dakota Circle. Within minutes, the fire intensified, prompting urgent calls for mutual aid from Hastings Fire Department. Goodhue County Dispatch reported at 2:52 p.m. that flames had reached a nearby garage, quickly escalating the incident to a full structure fire response.
As conditions worsened, additional units from Red Wing, Cannon Falls, Randolph-Hampton, and Goodhue Fire Departments joined the response, alongside resources from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources By 3:03 p.m., Dakota 911 alerted emergency teams that a house was possibly involved, requiring additional water tenders due to the distance from the nearest water supply.
First responders arrived to find one structure fully engulfed, with flames rapidly advancing through grasslands toward neighboring properties. Firefighters initiated a defensive strategy, successfully containing the structure fire while other units focused on controlling grass fires that had spread to adjacent yards, a cornfield, and a nearby tree line.
A local farmer played a critical role, using his tractor and plow to create a fire line that significantly slowed the fire's spread. Meanwhile, the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office deployed a drone to survey the area for hidden flames, aiding firefighting efforts.
The fire was largely under control by 4 p.m., although a second incident in Cannon Falls required some crews to redeploy. Reinforcements from Inver Grove Heights and Rosemount Fire Departments stepped in to maintain efforts at the original scene. Firefighters continued battling hotspots, fully extinguishing the structure fire by 6:30 p.m..
Two residents inside the affected home suffered minor smoke inhalation and were treated at the scene by Red Wing Medics. Fortunately, no firefighters sustained injuries during the extensive operation.
The destroyed home and garage were declared total losses, while minor property damage was reported to nearby homes. Quick response efforts effectively prevented further structural losses.
Investigators from MN DNR Forestry Division, assisted by Miesville Fire Department and Prairie Island Police, are leading the investigation. Preliminary findings suggest the fire originated from an unattended brush fire that spread uncontrollably.
Agencies involved in the coordinated response included Red Wing, Hastings, Cannon Falls, Randolph-Hampton, Goodhue, Inver Grove Heights, and Rosemount fire departments, MN DNR Forestry Division, Prairie Island Police Department, Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office, Goodhue County Dispatch, Dakota 911, and Dakota Electric Association.