One of the most historic structures in the state was damaged early this morning when a fire broke at the John Stevens House. Early reports say the damage caused was extensive, according to Minneapolis officials.
The fire at the John Stevens House in Minneapolis started at around 5:30 this morning. Dawn Somers of the Minneapolis Park Board shared an update on the building that has stood since the 1840s with News Talk 830 WCCO.
“There was pretty extensive damage,” Somers shared.
As the first structure ever built in Minneapolis, it has survived a series of moves, the big one coming in 1896 when it was taken from its original site near the Mississippi River to Minnehaha Park, where it remains.
Not only was part of the building damaged by the fire, but officials are also concerned about how many of the artifacts they can save.
“Staff are on-site to stabilize [the house], but then we need to do further evaluation assessment to know what our next steps will be,” Somers said. “At this time, we just don’t know.”
Fire crews worked hard to douse the flames, doing so at around 7:30 a.m. Somers said they were getting ready to make some repairs on the building.
The Minneapolis Fire Department shared that no occupants or injuries were reported and that crews worked to "preserve, cover, and protect historical items inside the structure to the best of their abilities."
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