MINNEAPOLIS — Fire investigators have wrapped up their probe into the fire that badly damaged the old Kmart building on Lake Street in Minneapolis and are listing the cause as "undetermined."
A news release sent out by the city Tuesday says now that the investigation is complete the focus can turn toward demolition of the abandoned structure, which has been both an eyesore and a magnet for trouble since the store closed in 2020.
During the investigation Minneapolis Fire Department personnel used cadaver dogs and infrared technology to search through the rubble in the area where the building collapsed to make sure there were no victims of the fire. City officials say none were found during the search, which was done with the help of public works crews.
The Kmart fire broke out before 5 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20, and by the time engine crews arrived flames were leaping into the morning sky. Firefighters worked to put down the flames with three aerial ladder water towers, as the building was deemed too dangerous to enter. At one point a major wall in the rear of the building at 10 Lake St. partially collapsed.
City leaders say the fire pushes up the timetable for demolition of the abandoned store, which had been scheduled to be torn down starting in March of 2024. The fire adds "newfound urgency" to the process, with officials saying they will urge the city council to approve a demolition contract as soon as possible.
What will go up on the site remains in question. Residents are being presented with three options for what redevelopment could look like, and their input will go a long way in determining what happens.
The building has been divisive since it opened at the intersection of Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue in 1978, interrupting the flow of one of Minneapolis' busiest corridors and effectively dividing two neighborhoods. The city bought out the lease in 2020 and planned to redevelop the site, but unrest in the area following the murder of George Floyd brought things to a screeching halt.
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