October 24th, 2022
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
On October 2, firefighters from multiple departments worked overnight to put out a fire at a greenhouse in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Fire crews were called out at 3:30 a.m. for the blaze at Lynde’s Greenhouse and Nursery. As they arrived, firefighters saw large flames and a large pillar of smoke billowing out of the greenhouse.
Firefighters attacked the flames from multiple angles, with hoses pouring water in from the side and above. The size of the fire was so large that twice, additional crews were called to the screen. A life safety unit from Golden Valley arrived to help monitor the health of firefighters.
Crews were able to shift to an offensive attack using smaller hand lines to control and extinguish the fire. Maple Grove Public Works brought in a backhoe to move heavy debris and uncover deep-seated and isolated fires. After the flames were extinguished, the crews worked for hours to put out hotspots. The Maple Grove Police Department is working with fire investigators to determine the cause of the blaze.
The blaze destroyed at least one building and damaged several others. Derek Lynde, who works at the nursery, said the “catastrophic fire” caused a complete loss to the warehouse, loading dock, storage area, production offices, employee break area and plant production line at the greenhouse.
Firefighters said peat moss, plastics, and gas for internal climate control caused the fire to spread quickly. Combustible materials are used in the construction of greenhouses and are stored in and around greenhouses. The National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association (NGMA) offers guidelines to minimize the risks of a greenhouse fire and to minimize the losses should one occur.
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