Faribault Home Destroyed by Fire Sunday

Faribault Fire Chief Dustin Dienst calls a father "a hero" for having working smoke detectors and quick action to save his family.  Chief Dienst issued the following news release:

At 5:02 pm on May 10, 2020, the Faribault Fire Department, Faribault Police Department and North Memorial Ambulance responded to a structure fire at 415 Western Ave Lot 139.  Smoke and flames were coming out of the home upon responders’ arrival.  Crews were able to verify that no one was inside the home prior to their arrival.

Crews were able to hit the fire from the exterior through windows that the fire was venting through.  Crews then made entry and extinguished the remaining fire.  The fire was contained to the room of origin and the hallway just outside the room but heat and smoke destroyed most everything is the house that the fire didn’t. Crews cleared the scene at 6:45 pm.

The Faribault Fire Department and the Faribault Police Department performed an investigation on the fire.  We were able to verify that a child in the home was playing with a lighter and caused the fire.

Fire Chief Dustin Dienst commented, “This fire was very tragic but had potential to be even more so.  Smoke alarms went off and the father at the home went to check the area and found a fire in a bedroom where a young child was sleeping in bed.  He grabbed the child and escaped.  He is a hero, he saved that child’s life by both having working smoke alarms and quickly reacting when the alarm sounded.”