ORONOCO, Minn. – A family realized too late that their rural house was afire. Although they made it out safely, the house had damage estimated at $100,000. The fire was out on White Bridge Road. Pine Island firefighters, the first to arrive about 12:35 a.m., found the family huddled outside and the first and second floors on fire with flames spreading to the attic. After extinguishing the fire, crews found debris in a fireplace chimney, which they blamed tentatively as the cause. Crews were at the site four hours. Many personal possessions of the homeowners were saved.
On Olmsted Countv Road 12. The fire was in outside walls and spread toward the roof, firefighters said. Image: Pine Island Gire Department