NORTHFIELD, Minn. — A historic Northfield landmark suffered extensive damage in a fire that burned from Thursday afternoon well into Friday.
The fire at Northfield's historic Archer House River Inn started around 3:30 p.m. Thursday in a smoker in the kitchen area, then quickly jumped into the walls and ceilings of the 143-year-old building.
"The building is built in the late 1800s and it has a balloon frame construction," explained Northfield Fire Chief Gerry Franek. "A balloon frame means that the lumber goes from floor to floor without a fire barrier. So if there's a fire on the first floor, it can run the cavities going up vertically in the building. So it can run into the walls and through the ceilings and it's invisible to the naked eye. You can use thermal imaging but the building is so vast there's no way to predict where it's going to go. So that was the reason why it ran vertically and then horizontally into our building and it took so long to find all the hot spots and so we just did the best we could."
At this point, the building's future is uncertain. Chief Franek said at least one main section of the building is a total loss. There are four sections to the building and the outside sections are in good shape but have water damage.
"The center sections are about two-thirds viable but some water damage. Then of course you're seeing here, that has the holes ripped in it. That one there is probably going to be a total loss," Chief Franek said.
"I extend the community's deepest sympathy to the business owners and employees affected by this loss," said Northfield Mayor Rhonda Pownell in a released statement. "The Archer House is a historic landmark in our downtown and riverfront. It is one of many iconic landmarks that has helped define Northfield for generations. As we look to the future I am hopeful because of the resiliency and generosity of our community and looking forward to the beauty that will come from the ashes."
It's a beloved spot for both visitors and locals, not to mention college students.
"I love Smoqehouse and Chapati and my parents stayed at Archer House last year when they visited. So yeah, it's pretty rough," said Maya Stovall, a sophomore at Carleton College.
Smoqehouse - Northfield released a statement via their Facebook page Friday evening, saying in part, "Our hearts and sincere apologies go out to our friends at Chapati, Paper Pentulum, Archer House: INN & Bar. This was the most tragic of accidents and no words can accurately say how we are feeling. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and huge THANK YOU to the heros at the local fire department for all of your work."
Northfield fire crews received mutual aid assistance from several local fire departments as they fought the blaze throughout the night. There was one minor injury to an employee, who tried to extinguish the initial fire, and one firefighter was taken to Northfield Hospital for an injury.
Friday around noon, Chief Franek and crews were still on the scene. He said, "It's been a long haul and our guys are very tired."
"It's really devastating," said Laurie Noonan, who was on the scene Friday afternoon with her husband Jim Noonan. "It holds a special place in a lot of people's hearts, really an anchor of Northfield, and it's hard to see what's happened to it."
The Archer House first opened to guests in August of 1877. The hotel reopened under new ownership in 2012 as a historically restored property.
Fire at the historic Archer House River Inn in Northfield
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