Fire Causes Grain Elevator Collapse

A major fire at a historic grain elevator in Hawley, MN, took place Sunday night and was still raging Monday morning.

The northwestern Minnesota grain elevator, just west of Fargo, ND, kept crews from at least 17 different departments busy overnight, closing area schools Monday and triggering a request for residents to refrain from using water, reported local news KARE 11.

Calls on the fire started coming in around 11:30 p.m. Sunday and by the time engine crews arrived the structure was engulfed, with flames reaching sky level. A call went out and fire crews responded from nearby communities including Moorhead, Dilworth, Glyndon, Barnesville, Lake Park and Detroit Lakes. 

There were no reports stating who owns the grain elevator.

Several nearby roads were closed due to heavy smoke and ash in the air.

Multiple reports stated the fire took hours to knock down, which put a significant strain on Hawley's water supply. The city sent out a message asking residents to refrain from using water as much as possible due to the fire, and school was canceled Monday to allow the water tower and system to recharge. 

As of 6:30 a.m. Monday, the fire at the elevator was considered to be contained, according to Hawley Police Chief Joseph Backlund, though the fire is actively burning.

Backlund deemed the elevator a total loss, but said there were no reported injuries so far.

As of Monday morning, it is unclear how the fire started.