On This Date in Minnesota History: December 29

December 29, 1909 – Fire broke out in the McAlpine Building in Grand Rapids, Minn., this morning, completely gutting the structure occupied by M. McAlpine as a saloon, John Billodeau as a restaurant with rooms upstairs and H. W. Willing as a confectionery. The fire started in the restaurant from the explosion of gasoline in a coffee percolator.

The firemen had difficulty in getting water as the hydrants and hose were frozen, and the fire got a good start before the firemen could get water to it.

The fire department struggled for five hours with hose, ladders and hooks, trying to confine the fire to the one building, which was a complete loss.

The Minneapolis Morning Tribune; “Grand Rapids Has $4,000 Fire. Several Firms Lose When One Building is Destroyed.”; Dec. 30, 1909; p. 11.

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