Labor Day fire destroys Leech Lake Housing Authority’s building

CASS LAKE, Minn. — The tribal agency that oversees the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe’s housing program is recovering from a fire that consumed its building early Monday morning, Sept. 1.

Reuben St. Cyr, executive director of the Leech Lake Housing Authority, said he was on the scene of the fire after the facility’s emergency system alerted him and maintenance staff.

The building in Cass Lake, approximately 20 miles east of Bemidji, serves as a hub for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, including the tribe’s housing program. St. Cyr described the building, which served as a repair garage and office space for more than 35 staff members, as a “total loss.”

The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s office has opened an investigation into the cause of the fire. Though the official cause hasn’t been confirm