Faribault Fire Department had a Busy Sunday

Faribault Fire Chief Dustin Dienst told KDHL AM Minnesota listeners today his department was busy on Sunday.  A house fire call came in 7:41 a.m. and a fatal crash occurred approximately 8:04 a.m. on I-35.

The house fire was at 907 2nd Ave. NW.  When firefighters arrived they saw smoke coming from the front porch.  Dienst says, "They were able to verify very quickly that no one was inside the home."

Dienst added, "Firefighters quickly knocked down the fire and started tearing into the siding and porch ceiling to expose and extinguish hot spots.  No direct fire damage was sustained inside the home but the porch and siding on the front of the home suffered extensive damage.  Light smoke and water did get into the interior of the home causing damage.  Crews cleared the scene at 8:36 a.m."

The Faribault Fire Department has ruled the cause to be accidental.  The fire started on the porch and extended up the vinyl siding to the ceiling over the porch.

Dienst commented, "The occupants of the home thought they smelled burning paper, heard someone honking and then had someone run into the home to tell them their house was on fire.  We would like to thank those good Samaritans for alerting the family to get out.  Their quick thinking and willingness to take action helped ensure that we didn't have any injuries at this fire."

Dienst also stated on AM Minnesota the painful reminder to have everyone in a vehicle buckle up occurred when a 22 year old Burnsville man was killed in a single vehicle accident on I-35 near Faribault.

Dienst told us Adam Frankm Zazzardi was apparently asleep in the back and not wearing a seat belt.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the vehicle was operated by Zander Joseph Zaccardi of Columbia Heights, Mn.

The State Patrol description says, "The truck was northbound when the driver lost control, went through the median, rolled, and came to rest in the southbound lanes of I-35."

Faribault Fire Department and North Ambulance assisted at the scene.

Dienst says, "We see this too often.  The seconds it takes to belt yourself in a vehicle is worth it.  I've seen a lot of people walk away from such crashes because they were belted in.

The driver was taken to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale with non-life threatening injuries according to the State Patrol report.  He was wearing a seat belt.  No airbag deployed.

Another passenger, Wilfred Alan Berrard, age 43 suffered a non-life threatening injury according to the State Patrol report.  He was wearing a seat belt.

Another fatal accident occurred in Dakota County this morning.  The State Patrol says the call came in 7:33 a.m. at Highway 19 and Baldwin Avenue in Greenvale Township, Dakota County.

No details have been released yet.