Fire
A fire ripped through the main lodge at Maplelag Resort, MN, yesterday morning and burned all day totally destroying the structure, firefighters said. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Maplelag is a family-owned and operated destination cross-country ski resort near Callaway in northwestern Minnesota about 15 miles north of Detroit Lakes.
Staff called 911 just before 9 am after seeing smoke in the laundry room area. The fire quickly spread to the second level of the 54,000-sq-ft lodge with flames reaching up to 30 feet high causing the roof to collapse.
It is the second time in living memory that the lodge at Maplelag has burned down. In December 1999 the resort had to close for the winter after the pine lodge was destroyed by fire. It is not yet known is the resort will be forced to close this winter.
Maplelag is regularly voted the top cross-country ski resort in North America.
