Dramatic sight in Brainerd as city hall roof catches on fire
City of Brainerd
Flames blazed through the roof of Brainerd City Hall during a brief emergency on Monday afternoon.
The fire broke out just after noon, causing 10 employees to evacuate. Most of the staff were working from home because of the pandemic. Firefighters extinguished the fire, thought to be related to the roof’s remodeling project, within 10 minutes, according to a city news release.
Winds of 36 miles per hour caused debris to fly off the building, causing part of the lawn to turn black, the Brainerd Dispatch reports.
Earlier Monday, the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for wind and low humidity, asking people to refrain from burning fires in counties including Crow Wing, where Brainerd is located.
“Thank you to our first responders for their rapid response. They definitely contained the situation and lessened the damage,” said Mayor Dave Badeaux in a statement. “We are just glad that everyone is safe. Buildings can be rebuilt. Lives matter.”
