Electrical Short Likely Caused Mahnomen Fire

MAHNOMEN, Minn. (AP) - Authorities say an electrical short likely caused an early morning fire at an apartment building in Mahnomen.

Mahnomen County Sheriff Doug Krier (kreer) says that conclusion was reached after talking to tenants of both apartments in the Main Street building.

Crews responded to the fire about 2 a.m. Friday. Krier tells reporters that deputies rescued the three occupants of the building. The former barber shop was converted to apartments on the first and second floors.

Ten departments worked about four hours to put out the flames. A front-end loader was brought in to knock down the building during the blaze to keep the fire from spreading.