Fire at Ft. Snelling construction site caused by sparks on roof

Large fire burns building near Fort Snelling

A former officers' building that is being converted to veteran and low-income housing at the abandoned Upper Post at Fort Snelling was torched by a fire on Thursday.

(FOX 9) - The preliminary investigation from the State Fire Marshal’s Office concluded a fire at a Fort Snelling construction site was caused by sparks from cutting holes in the metal roof soffit for vents.

The fire was at one of the old officers' buildings at 6271 Taylor Ave., which is being converted to veteran and low-income housing at the abandoned Upper Post at Fort Snelling. 

Two firefighters were treated for minor burn injuries to their hands from melting tar being blown from the roof by the wind.

Large fire burns at building at Fort Snelling

Fire crews were battling a massive fire involving a building at Fort Snelling on Thursday.

Several hundred workers were actively working at the time of the fire. They will rebuild the structure. 

The Upper Post renovation is a $100 million plan to transform more than two dozen abandoned, rundown buildings sitting right next to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The Upper Post was built in 1878 and was the headquarters of the Department of the Dakotas before North and South Dakota were states.