The St. Michael Dairy Queen, a popular spot for families and youth sports teams on a seemingly nightly basis, is closed after an early morning fire Saturday, Jan. 12.
It’s not known when the store, located on Central Avenue Northeast in St. Michael, will re-open.
Soot can be seen on the windows of the Dairy Queen restaurant in St. Michael. Though the seating area has tinted windows, a close-up shows residue on the inside of the structure due to Saturday’s fire.
The fire was reported shortly after 5:30 a.m., according to St. Michael Fire Chief Steve Hosch. A Wright County Deputy on patrol noticed the smoke coming from the south end of the structure – which houses the grill and kitchen at the fast food restaurant.
Smoke filled the entire facility, witnesses reported. Close-up photos show soot was on windows inside the eating area of the restaurant. The exterior was not damaged – save for the roof over the south end.
Hosch said Albertville and Hanover firefighters assisted with controlling fire inside the building, and examining hot spots. St. Michael Fire is working with the State Fire Marshal to determine the cause of the fire.
The St. Michael McDonald’s assisted those who were working at the scene of the fire, delivering coffee and water, as well as breakfast sandwiches, to the parking lot.
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to correct the use of sprinklers in the structure. NWCT regrets the error.