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The state fire marshal investigating the Springs Inn blaze has concluded his report and announced he had no specific determination on the cause.  

The report was released to the Press last week. The February 2025 fire is believed to have originated in a bathroom.  Based on interviews with two people occupying the closest room,  and based on other witness testimony and analysis of the fire behavior,  the origin was most likely an outlet in a bathroom in the west-center portion of the landmark building that was constructed circa 1950s.  

Owner Richard Berget told investigators he acquired the Springs Inn in 2013 and it was not insured. 

Springs Inn was housing people when the fire occurred last February but no injuries resulted.  

The Taylors Falls fire chief alerted the state immediately and an investigator was on the scene when he realistically could gain access.  He noted the review was hampered by extensive damage both from the fire (structural collapse) and the machinery used in responding. 

The report made mention that an anonymous fire marshal tipline alleged arson was involved, but nothing the investigator analyzed pointed to arson.  The investigator said in the report that Berget provided information on rehabbing projects done at the motel, and he volunteered information on what had been ruled an electrical fire at one of his properties in Dresser, Wisconsin. And,  there had been a fire three years earlier, which  Berget thought was set deliberately by an evicted tenant using gasoline.  There never were charges. A private garage  caught fire at a property Berget owns in Chisago City a year before the Taylors Falls incident which has not resulted in charges.

The investigator noted when a specific cause can not be identified, the cause is classified as it is in this case, as undetermined.

The City of Taylors Falls has taken over site cleanup and plans to award a contractor with final abatement work needing to be done at a  special council session tentatively set for October 21. The city went through the district court to be authorized to assess cleanup related costs onto the parcel property taxes.

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