MAPLE GROVE, Minn. — Maple Grove firefighters were called out to Lynde's Greenhouse around 3:30 a.m. Sunday for a massive fire that damaged several buildings and greenhouses.
On Monday afternoon, workers at Lynde’s posted on Facebook that they were looking for a few volunteers to help them save some plants before the frost comes.
They expected to hear back from a handful of volunteers, but instead more than a hundred showed up to help.
"I didn't expect so many people would come out and help us on a Tuesday morning,” Lynde’s head grower Jenny Nguyen told KARE 11.
Volunteers loaded hundreds of poinsettias, which still have some growing to do before the holidays, into trucks so they could be moved to another greenhouse since Lynde's Greenhouse is too damaged to store them.
"They haven't had good water since Saturday, I'm told, and so we're going to get them over, get them water and get them some warmth,” Aaron Davis says.
Davis is the co-owner of Green Valley Greenhouse in Ramsey and said they had some extra room in their greenhouse, so they decided to share it.
"We have our own group of poinsettias we're growing for our customers and we're going to throw these right side-by-side with them,” he said.
Without their help, growers say these poinsettias could have been lost in the coming frost. Thanks to volunteers, several truckloads of poinsettias were saved.
It’s one less thing for these fifth-generation owners to worry about, as they deal with the charred remains of a devastating fire.
"We’re going to gather as a team and figure out how to rebuild, how to rebuild and come back stronger,” Nguyen says.
Lynde’s Greenhouse and Nursery is open for business, but workers say they don't have electricity yet so they can only take cash at this time.
On Tuesday, officials said they're investigating the fire as a possible arson, saying they've identified five juveniles as persons of interest.
In a press release, the Maple Grove Police Department said they're urging anyone with information about the fire to call Detective Angela Tschida at 763-494-6214 or email her at atschida@maplegrovemn.gov. People can also anonymously submit tips through CrimeStoppers at 800-222-8477 or by contacting the Arson Reward Tip Line at 1-800-723-2020.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities in our YouTube playlist: