Local firefighters had a unique opportunity to train for a house fire in a recently functioning house Monday night on South McKenzie Street in Luverne.
The house near the old Laundromat and east of Glen’s Food Center was set on fire and extinguished multiple times in order to allow several teams of firefighters to enter the smoke-filled structure for specific training.
Monday night’s exercise also allowed firefighters to simulate a ladder truck rescue, sending personnel to the second floor to retrieve a 135-pound dummy through the window.
The city bought the McKenzie Street house from Mike Rogers for $35,000 on June 9 for blight removal purposes.
According to city staff, the lot (directly east of Glen's Food Center) had been a constant source of nuisance complaints for junk and stored vehicles.