Area fire crews respond to structure fire in Kasson

Erich Fisher, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·1 min read

Apr. 22—KASSON — Area fire departments and emergency crews responded to a structure fire on Thursday, April 21, 2022, in Kasson.

Crews received a call at roughly 4 p.m. of visible heavy smoke coming from a second-floor apartment on the 200 block of Main Street, said Dodge Center Fire Chief David Kenworthy.

Kenworthy said there were no people in the building at the time of the fire, and the fire was knocked down soon after firefighters entered the building.

Kenworthy said the source of the fire appeared to come from the kitchen area but said it is unsure at this time the direct source of the fire. He added the apartment where the fire originated is unlivable.

Johnson's General Store, which planned to have its grand opening in May and is located on the first floor of the building, sustained water damage coming from the ceiling.

Kelly Johnson, the store's owner, said she's unsure of how this will affect the store's grand opening. She said the ceiling and floors may need to be repaired.

"It's awful. I just can't believe it," Johnson said. "(The store) is my heart. It's my dream. At the moment, I'm kind of teetering into devastation, but I'll come out of it because I do bounce back."

The Dodge Center Fire Department and Ambulance, Mantorville Fire Department, Kasson Fire Department, Kasson Police Department, Dodge County Sheriff's Office, and Dodge Center Ambulance responded to the fire.