Historic Minnesota church burns to the ground

The century-old Lutheran church in the south central city of Cosmos, Minn., burned down early Thursday morning, according to officials. First responders arrived at the scene around 1:30 a.m. after a driver on the highway noticed the fire. The building was engulfed in flames and is now a total loss but no injuries were reported, according to the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office. First Evangelical Lutheran Church has been a gift to locals since 1883, according to a Thursday statement from Southwestern Minnesota Synod Bishop Dee Pederson. The building has seen many baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals, among other sacred memories, she added.

What caused the fire? The fire’s cause remains under investigation, and it’s too early to speculate what may have caused it, Meeker officials said. The St. Paul Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ fire investigator assisted the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s office with the investigation, according to a Thursday statement. WORLD reached out to the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office for comment on the fire’s cause, but did not receive an immediate response.