A four alarm fire involving an Elk River landscaping company drew a number of crews away from their normally jovial National Night Out and Night to Unite parties and onto the scene of a potential disaster Tuesday, Aug. 4.
According to information provided by the Elk River Fire Department, the ERFD was called at around 2:30 p.m. to a facility in the 1500 block of 205th Ave NW in Elk River for a bulldozer that was ablaze near a large mulch pile on the grounds.
The ERFD reports that: “Police officers reported that the machinery was fully engulfed and the fire was extending to mulch pile in multiple directions. The area was evacuated and fire personnel began fire suppression efforts.
A steady wind quickly spread the fire into multiple large piles of mulch. In addition to a full response from the ERFD, mutual aid assistance was received by the Zimmerman/Livonia Fire District, Big Lake Fire Department, Ramsey Fire Department, Baldwin Fire Department, Princeton Fire Department, Albertville Fire Department and the MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR). A helicopter from the DNR assisted with suppression efforts. The Elk River Police Department (ERPD) and the Minnesota State Patrol were also on the scene.
The last fire unit cleared the scene at 8:23 p.m. Due to the number of resources committed to this incident, the ERFD was not able to participate in the Night to Unite program.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. There were no injuries.”
Elk River units, as well as other units from the departments on scene and on call, were pulled away from neighborhood parties in Otsego, Elk River and other communities to maintain the effort on the scene.