Fire destroys 3 businesses in Grand Marais
A fire broke out on Monday afternoon at the Crooked Spoon Café, located around the corner in this photo. [Courtesy of Randi Lyders]
A wind-whipped fire destroyed three businesses in downtown Grand Marais in northern Minnesota on Monday.
Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen said 911 dispatch received a report of a fire in the back of the Crooked Spoon Cafe early Monday afternoon. The fire spread to two neighboring businesses, Picnic & Pine and White Pine North.
Gusty winds made the fire difficult to contain. Grand Marias Public Utilities Commission was dispatched to cut power to the area, and the city also deployed a backhoe to help firefighters knock down the blaze.
"This is a devastating loss for our community and certainly the business owners," Eliasen said in a statement.
Firefighters have the fire under control. No one was hurt. The state fire marshal's office was sent to investigate, and the cause remains under investigation.