Rooftop fire at St. Cloud's convention center causes at least $200,000 in damage

Although fireworks debris was found on the roof, officials haven't yet determined the cause of the fire.

July 6, 2023 at 4:13PM
An early morning fire on the roof of River’s Edge Convention Center in downtown St. Cloud on Tuesday caused about $200,000 in damage. (St. Cloud Fire Department/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

ST. CLOUD - Authorities are investigating an early-morning fire on July 4th that damaged the roof of the city-owned convention center.

Firefighters responded to the blaze atop the River's Edge Convention Center in downtown St. Cloud just after 5 a.m. Tuesday. The fire was quickly extinguished but is estimated to have caused at least $200,000 in damage, according to Brett Young, battalion chief at St. Cloud Fire Department. No injuries were reported.

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said Thursday investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire, which was on the west side of the building's roof. Officials found fireworks debris on the roof but not in the immediate area of the fire, Kleis said.

"At this point, there's nothing definitive," he said. "Right now we're gathering information, seeing if anyone saw something, looking at camera footage and ruling out any mechanical things."

Kleis said the damage isn't disrupting operations at the convention center, which is frequently used for expos, corporate meetings and other gatherings.

An early morning fire on Tuesday, July 4 atop the River’s Edge Convention Center in downtown St. Cloud caused about $200,000 in damage. (St. Cloud Fire Department/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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Jenny Berg

St. Cloud Reporter

Jenny Berg covers St. Cloud for the Star Tribune. Sign up to receive the new St. Cloud Today newsletter.

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