Man's taste for burgers ends with St. Paul house catching fire

St. Paul Fire Department

A charcoal grill ignited a fire that damaged a house in the 2000 block of Field Avenue in St. Paul.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: November 10, 2009 - 11:09 AM

A late-night temperature hovering a bit above freezing is not about to dissuade a Minnesotan from grilling burgers outdoors. But accidentally setting your house on fire might.

A St. Paul home caught fire around 10 p.m. Monday, when an unattended charcoal grill ignited the back deck, the Fire Department said this morning.

Damage to the Highland neighborhood home, including contents, in the 2000 block of Field Avenue was estimated at $90,000, the department said. No one was injured.

According to the department:

The owner of the single-family home was grilling burgers outside and went in to eat. Minutes later, he noticed flames on his deck from "nearby combustibles."

The blaze spread from the deck, to an open door and into the attic. The owner called 911 after trying in vain to put out the fire himself.

Grilling on decks and balconies in St. Paul is not illegal, but "grilling should never be done near buildings or other combustibles, and it should always be attended," the department said in a news release.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482