Investigators Seek Cause of Fire at Northfield Assisted-Living Facility

This morning, investigators are searching for clues to what caused Sunday night’s fire at that forced the evacuation of roughly 40 residents.

Northfield Director of Public Safety Mark Taylor said that Northfield Police and an investigator from the State Fire Marshal Division were working on the case. As of this morning, no cause had been determined for why the fire started in a room in the southwest portion of the single-story assisted-living facility.

While the fire was contained mainly to one room, heavy smoke spread through the building, at 812 Linden St. N. Residents who were evacuated spent the night either at or in Owatonna.

More information about Sunday night’s fire is available by .

Normally, Taylor said, police officers work alongside a Fire Marshal investigator until criminal wrongdoing can be ruled out as a cause. But, there are exceptions.

“This case is different because it involves a care center,” he said.

The Valleyview facility was calm Monday morning, a departure from 12 hours earlier when firefighters, police officers and TV camera crews were moving around the parking lot. Passersby on Lincoln Parkway easily could make out the fire-damaged room, marked with broken-out windows and yellow police tape. Also, the hole cut in the roof above the room is visible from nearby streets.

As of Sunday night, there was no indication on when residents would be permitted to return to Valleyview, as the facility incurred smoke and water damage.