The fire at **Taracon Precast** near Hawley, MN, on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, has been ruled accidental by authorities. According to Clay County Sheriff Mark Empting, the fire started when a worker using a handheld power cutter to cut rebar caused sparks that ignited surrounding materials. Despite staff attempts to control the fire, it proliferated due to the presence of flammable materials, including around 250 containers of gasoline.
The Hawley and Glyndon fire departments responded initially, but given the scale of the fire, nearly a dozen other fire departments were called to assist. The blaze produced thick, black smoke visible from several miles away. Taracon Precast, which manufactures concrete products for residential and commercial projects across the Upper Midwest, suffered significant damage in the fire.