1 Dead, Girl Rescued From Lake City House Fire
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A deadly early morning fire in Lake City left one person dead while firefighters were able to rescue a young girl from the burning home.
The fire broke out shortly before 7 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, at a home near North Washington Street & East Doughty Street, authorities say.
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Crews arrived within five minutes of the call and encountered heavy smoke and flames pouring from every side of the two-story multi-family home, according to Lake City Fire Chief Dan Patterson.
Firefighters immediately began rescue operations as conditions rapidly worsened inside the structure. Crews rescued a young girl from a second-floor window and transferred her to Lake City EMS, where she was stabilized before being transported by air ambulance to a hospital for further care.
Despite repeated attempts to reach another person inside, firefighters were unable to access him because of intense fire and smoke conditions along with a partial structural collapse. The man was later found dead inside the residence.
Authorities later identified the victim as Richard Arruda. A co-worker of Arruda said the victims were father and daughter.
Mutual aid crews from surrounding departments assisted as firefighters battled the blaze. Responders from Wabasha and Zumbro Falls fire departments, Wabasha EMS, Lake City EMS, Lake City Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol and the Wabasha County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. Crews remained on scene for about seven hours.
Chief Patterson said firefighters repeatedly entered dangerous conditions while attempting to reach the trapped occupant and described the loss as weighing heavily on responders who worked to save those inside.
Authorities have not yet released additional details about the girl’s condition and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
