Saturday, October 26 a fire call came into Rushford Fire Department from the Rushford Municipal Airport. Pilot Dean Drews, of Huntertown, Ind., had been staying the night in the pilot’s lounge facility after having flown in the previous day after experiencing mechanical troubles. After contacting former Fixed Base Operator and hangar renter Mike Thern, the two had contacted city hall and moved Thern’s Fairchild plane from its current hangar to empty hangar 8 that night. At 2:30 a.m., Drews was awakened by the fire in the east hangar and called it in.
Rushford Fire Department responded within minutes to the call. Shortly after, Chief Chad Rasmussen contacted the fire marshall and the Lanesboro Fire Department for Mutual Aid assistance. The power switch at the site was pulled sometime between that call and 6:30 a.m.
Also arriving on the scene, Public Works Director Roger Knutson called Thern regarding the fire. Drews had also attempted to contact Thern earlier that morning, but was unsuccessful. Thern was reached around 9:15 that morning. Renters of hangers 1-6 were also contacted at that time.
The easterly hangar building was a complete loss and additional damage was sustained to the AD Building, or pilot’s lounge facility. The western hangar, housing units 7-12 received no damage.
Mead & Hunt engineering suggested the city contact both state and Federal Aviation Administration. While research for needed control panels and hardware to get other utilities functioning at airport was done, the damage from the fire made keeping the airport open impossible, as the fuel system panel, beacon, precision approach path indicators, runway lights, and additional panels had been located within the east hangar’s utility room.
By Monday, the city had coordinated with League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust and the State Fire Marshal for inspections and Mead & Hunt began detailing component info to get systems operational again. Public Works began working on temporary electrical service in cooperation with Norman’s Electric Service and MiEnergy. MN Energy began working on gas components as FAA had requested a piece of natural gas equipment to be checked for safety of personnel on site.
A meeting was held Tuesday, October 29, with League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Adjuster Mike Forys, State Fire Marshal Steve Wolf, Whitemore Fire Cons specialist Doug Noah, Fire Chief Rasmussen and Deputy Chief James Dailey, Public Works’ Knutson and Dave Lombard, Mead & Hunt engineer Matt Wagner, Rushford Aviation’s Mike and Barb Thern, and MDOT Aeronautics’ Greg Schneider, Brian Conklin, and Kris Christenson.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined yet. The city is working with Fire Marshall/Fire Arson Investigator Steve Wolf. A total damage estimate is still being determined, including the items within the six hangars and the hangar and AD Building. There is no immediate timeline from the city on when the repairs/replacement of facilities will occur or when the airport will reopen. The city council will take the matter under consideration at the November 12 meeting.
Leave a Reply