An historic building that housed the Ellsworth City Hall for more than a century was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning, Jan. 15.
Firefighters from nine departments battled the fire in the city of about 470 people, which produced billows of thick smoke from its windows and doors. The building was later demolished using heavy equipment.
Rich Gaul, an Ellsworth fireman and member of the Ellsworth City Council, says the fire is believed to be electrical in nature. The Ellsworth Fire Department was dispatched to the scene at 6:17 a.m. At 10 a.m., the state fire marshal had not been able to get inside the building, according to Ellsworth Mayor Tasha Domeyer.
Located next to the city’s water tower, the concern was to protect the tower from damage.
Already, equipment was used to tear down the garage addition on the east side of the building — action was taken after an emergency meeting of the Ellsworth City Council Tuesday morning.
The Ellsworth City Hall is located at the intersection of Broadway Street (Minnesota 91) and Fourth Avenue, and is just a block north of the Ellsworth Public School. The school was closed Tuesday, due to concerns of having enough water available.
The fire also closed Minnesota 91 through Ellsworth, about 28 miles west of Worthington.