House Fire in New Munich

On Wednesday night at 11:53 P.M., the Stearns County Emergency Communications Center was advised of a fire at the address at 250 Liberty Street in New Munich. Stearns County Deputies, New Munich Fire and Melrose Ambulance responded to the scene.

Upon arrival, Stearns County Deputies located a man with a garden hose extinguishing the fire on his front porch and inside of his residence. 35-year-old Corey Pirttila of New Munich told deputies that they had a heater on the floor in the kitchen facing the direction of some clothing. He believed that due to the direct heat onto the clothing, the clothing articles started on fire.

Pirtilla told deputies that he thought he put the fire out and had placed the basket of clothing onto their porch. He went to bed a short time after and later woke up and saw heavy smoke throughout the home. Pirtilla grabbed a garden hose and put out most of the fire and New Munich Fire arrived and took over. Pirttila, 34-year-old Breanna Rivera of New Munich, and three children were inside the residence when the fire started. They all safely evacuated from the residence and sustained no injuries.