UPDATED: 5th Alarm Fire at Gopher Resource LLC in Eagan, MN
UPDATED: Updated 1:30 PM on December 17, 2023
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - Just before 5 AM on Sunday, December 17, 2023, Eagan Fire Department and Inver Grove Heights Fire Department were paged out for a reported structure fire at Gophers Resource LLC in Eagan, Minnesota. Gopher Resouce is a recycling facility in the City of Eagan that has been around since 1946. Their 36-acre site is also home to their Resource Plastic business and The Recycling Zone. According to their website, they can recycle 50,000 automotive batteries per day, recycle lead-bearing materials, and be able to produce pure lead and numerous specialty alloys.
By around 5:11 AM, crews on site confirmed a working fire within the facility in the area of one of their containment rooms. This fire would eventually spread into the roof and continue to grow. Due to the size of the fire, they could not complete the size-up of the fire. The fire was upgraded to a 2nd alarm, with support from the Mendota Heights Fire Department. By 5:50 AM, this fire was upgraded to a 3rd alarm with additional support from Apple Valley, Richfield, Bloomington, and Edina Fire Departments.
As the fire spread across the roof of the building, westerly winds, in combination with increased smoke, resulted in the closing of Dodd Road in both directions around 7:50 AM at Yankee Doodle Road, and just to the north of that, as smoke caused reduced visibility. The road has since reopened. Around this same time, this fire was upgraded to a 4th alarm fire as the fire continued to spread and grow. This upgrade brought additional support from the Cottage Grove, Lakeville, and Rosemount Fire Departments. Just after 9:15 AM, this fire was upgraded to a 5th-alarm fire with additional support from the Farmington Fire Department, SOT Rescue, Savage Fire Department, and Dakota County Special Operations Team (SOT). Just after 10:15 AM, another engine was requested from the Lakeville Fire Department. At 10:30 AM, an engine was called out from the Inver Grove Heights Fire Department. Just before 10:50 AM, another engine was requested from the Farmington Fire Department, and an engine from the Burnsville Fire Department arrived at the scene. Units continue to be called out to aid with the fire as of 11 AM.
Photos provided to us by Ed Delong on Facebook.
In an update from the Eagan Fire Department and officials with the City of Eagan just before noon, they confirmed the firefighters had contained the fire, and no injuries were reported. Due to the quick response, Eagan Fire Officials said they could limit any damage from the fire to just the structure of the building [its roof] and that none of the materials and products inside the building were reportedly damaged. Due to the materials and products inside the business, this was considered a hazardous situation, and they are working with partner agencies to monitor any environmental impacts. So far, there has not been any indication of any threat to the public. The Dakota County SOT was also on the scene, decontaminating firefighters as they exited the building for routine measures since it was classified as a hazmat situation.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. We will provide further updates as they are made available.
