An early Wednesday fire damaged Haskell's, the longtime bar, restaurant, and liquor store at the corner of Water and Lake streets in downtown Excelsior on Lake Minnetonka. Fire crews stayed on scene while city and fire officials worked to assess smoke and structural damage. As of now, owners and authorities have not said what sparked the blaze or whether anyone was hurt.
What's known so far
Fire crews remained at Haskell's as they checked the building for damage, according to KSTP. The station reported that the corner property houses a bar, restaurant, and liquor store, and that 5 Eyewitness News cameras captured visible exterior damage. No official word has come yet on a cause or on any injuries.
Haskell's and the harbor block
Haskell's runs both a lakeside bar and an adjacent wine-and-spirits shop, listing menus and hours on its website to highlight its role as a warm-weather hangout for boaters and visitors to the harbor, according to Haskell's Port of Excelsior. The posted address and hours underscore why any damage to the building could ripple through the compact downtown, especially during busy seasons on the lake.
Emergency response and next steps
The City of Excelsior teams up with the Excelsior Fire District and the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department for public-safety response, and the fire district oversees inspections and investigations after a fire loss, according to city and district websites. The City of Excelsior outlines these public-safety partnerships, and the Excelsior Fire District describes the fire-investigation work and mutual-aid resources that are expected to be involved as officials sort out what happened.
Authorities and the business have released only limited details so far, and KSTP described the situation as developing in its early report. Local investigators typically follow up on commercial fires, and officials are expected to share more information once it becomes available.
