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Overnight fire at vacant Burnsville middle school prompts investigation

By
FOX 9
Burnsville
Updated June 25, 2026 3:20 PM CDT Published June 25, 2026 9:28 AM CDT
article

Workers respond to a fire at a vacant school in Burnsville.  (FOX 9)

The Brief

    • Firefighters responded to a fire overnight at Metcalf Middle School in Burnsville, Minnesota.
    • The fire was reported around 9:30 p.m. and was upgraded to a second-alarm.
    • An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

BURNSVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - An investigation is underway after a fire overnight at Metcalf Middle School in Burnsville, Minnesota.

Fire at Metcalf Middle School building

What we know:

Eagan police say firefighters were called to Metcalf Middle School near Diffley Road and Highway 77 around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night after police officers in the area noticed smoke coming from inside the building.

Two adults and one minor were taken into custody as they exited the building, according to police.  The Eagan Fire Department extinguished the fire. The minor was released to a guardian with two misdemeanor charges, while a man and a woman were booked into the Dakota County Jail on charges related to burglary, trespassing and fleeing a peace officer.

The backstory:

Metcalf Middle School closed in 2020 due to declining enrollment. 

In 2024, a developer purchased the property from the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 for a housing development.

What's next:

The Deputy State Fire Marshal is investigating the fire. The building has been deemed hazardous for human occupancy due to heavy interior smoke and water damage sustained in the fire. 

The Source: This story uses information from an Eagan Police Department press release and the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District. 

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