Cleanup underway in Madison, Minnesota, after fire destroys John Deere dealership

Tom Cherveny, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·3 min read

Mar. 22—MADISON

— The Madison Fire Department and investigators remained on the scene much of the day Wednesday in the aftermath of a fire that destroyed the primary offices and shop building of

Midwest Machinery

, a John Deere dealership in Madison.

No one was injured in the blaze which was first reported at 7:12 p.m. Tuesday, March 21. Firefighters battled the fire through the night, and there were still smoldering hot spots in the charred rubble during the afternoon on Wednesday. The

Madison Fire Department

remained on site into Wednesday evening.

Work was getting underway on Wednesday to take down some of the standing rubble, according to Blain Johnson, emergency management director for

Lac qui Parle County

. He said that more than 100 personnel from 25 different agencies assisted in fighting the fire and the cleanup efforts.

People from 17 residences were evacuated from their homes as a black plume of smoke wafted from the fire on Tuesday evening. The fire could be smelled as far as 10 miles from the town, according to Johnson.

A citywide water restriction was requested in order to help firefighters put out the major fire that night. The emergency manager said water levels were returning to normal on Wednesday and the city was no longer asking residents to limit their water use.

The state fire marshal was on site as part of the investigation into the cause, which was not known Wednesday, but the fire is believed to have started in the main building. The full extent of damage is being assessed.

Midwest Machinery did not immediately return a call seeking additional information.

Madison city and Lac qui Parle County officials were planning to meet with the owners of Midwest Machinery on Thursday to learn about efforts to rebuild the facility and what help might be needed. The large implement service and sales dealership is one of the community's largest employers.

The blaze is the largest in the community since the 1987 fire that destroyed much of the former Madison High School.

The Madison Fire Department called for mutual aid from neighboring departments as it arrived at the scene. The blaze quickly engulfed the building. A local gas line was ruptured and made it more difficult for firefighters, according to information from Lac qui Parle County Emergency Management and the Sheriff's Office.

The residents in homes and two apartments near the fire scene were evacuated due to smoke and inhalation concerns. A reunification center was set up at Madison Mercantile for evacuees to meet and make lodging plans and receive updates from friends and family.

Kris Shelstad, owner of the Mercantile, said the evacuees were treated to fresh-brewed coffee and doughnuts delivered by the local Casey's General Store. They received the "all clear" to go home from Sheriff Allen Anderson shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday. All had already arranged for places to stay if they would not have been able to return to their homes, she said.

Park Avenue at the fire site remains barricaded. The area around the dealership will remain secured as cleanup gets underway.

According to a news release sent out early Wednesday, the following agencies responded: Madison Fire, Madison Ambulance, city of Madison, Lac qui Parle County Sheriff's Office, Lac qui Parle County Emergency Management, Countryside Public Health, Dawson Fire, Marietta Fire, Marietta Ambulance, Montevideo Fire, Ortonville Fire, Bellingham Fire, Appleton Fire, Canby Fire, Nassau Fire, Milan Fire, Boyd Fire and Odessa Fire, all from Minnesota; the Minnesota Highway Patrol; and South Dakota agencies responding included Big Stone Fire, Revillo Fire, Milbank Fire and Grant County, South Dakota, Emergency Management.