On June 30, 2025, at 9:27 AM, Chaska Police Officers and Chaska Fire Department responded to reports of smoke in a business on Chaska Boulevard in Chaska, Carver County, Minnesota. Sergeant Gibbons and Officer Wolf arrived on scene and smelled the strong smell of smoke inside the building. Officer Wolf could hear running water in the basement and observed approximately 2 inches of standing water on the basement floor. Officer Wolf did not observe an active fire but saw that the electrical panel appeared to be burned.
Detective Robinson arrived and spoke with Fire Marshall Al Tarman. Marshall Tarman advised that there appeared to be evidence of arson in the building. Marshall Tarman and Fire Chief Kraus learned the following: The owner of the building is DK, an adult male fully identified in police reports. The owner of the business is SEAN-PAUL JAMES HAYDEN ([DOB redacted]). The business manager is AH, an adult male fully identified in police reports. One employee is CB, an adult female fully identified in police reports.
CB closed the store at 6:00 PM on June 29th. AH reported that the store is not open on Monday’s but that he went to the store to do inventory when he noticed smoke in the building. AH contacted 911 immediately. DK reported that there were multiple camera trips inside of the store between 2:03 AM and 2:53 AM on June 30th. DK was unable to provide any video footage as the DVR system for the cameras was cut and removed. DK further reported that camera trips happened if someone is inside of the building.
The Chaska Water Department reported that around 4:00 AM on June 30th, there was a large spike in the store’s water usage consistent with a pipe malfunction. DK told them that Hayen was behind on building payments and had recently been trying to sell the business, and Hayden had recently updated inventory records which were stored on a computer in the basement. While investigating the origin of the fire, Marshall Tarman and Chief Kraus located multiple broken bottles of 151 proof Everclear, charcoal, and wood slats.
It was atypical for these items to be inside the store basement. Upon entering the building, Detective Robinson immediately smelled a strong odor of smoke. As he walked around the upstairs of the business, Detective Robinson observed soot on many of the items in the store. Detective Robinson then went to the basement where the fire was suspected to have been started. Detective Robinson observed the following in the basement: There was an open room which appeared to be an office area with multiple computer towers followed by a furnace room.
Behind the furnace was a cement slab with a small ledge area. On the ledge area, Detective Robinson observed a pile of partially burnt charcoal briskets, multiple pieces of charred wood, and broken bottles of alcohol. The fire was suspected to have started in the furnace room. Based on their observations, law enforcement concluded that the fire appeared to have been started intentionally. Fire Marshall Investigator Edwards arrived at the business and performed a separate inspection of the fire. Investigator Edwards observed that the fire was contained in the area below a PVC service water pipe which melted during the fire causing water to spew into the basement.
