Explosion and Fire in Forest City
An explosion and fire destroyed a camper and home on County Road 2 in Forest City Monday afternoon. The Meeker County Sheriff’s Department responded to the fire which was reported at 4:09 p.m. Monday. Litchfield Fire and Rescue and Mayo Ambulance also responded and found a camper on the property fully engulfed in flames, which quickly spread to the residence. It appears the explosion was likely from a propane tank that was consumed by the fire as it spread.
The property owner, 65-year-old Michael Hugget, was not home when the fire broke out but others who were on the property said the fire started in the area of the camper. No one was injured, and both the camper and the residence are considered a total loss. Assisting at the scene were fire departments from Dassel, Eden Valley and Watkins, and the MN State Fire Marshall’s Office. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota Fire Marshal’s Office.
