Cause under investigation of fire that severely damaged mosque and school in Prior Lake

Leaders of a southwest metro mosque and school significantly damaged in an early Monday fire say they will rebuild, but members and students are shaken and devastated by the loss of the building where they gathered to worship, learn and celebrate milestones.

No one was hurt in the fire that was reported about 2:20 a.m. at the Masjid Hamza mosque and Baitul Hikmah Academy in Prior Lake and took fire crews from several agencies hours to put out.

Part of the charred building on Timber Trail SE. was still standing Monday afternoon, but part of the roof collapsed, fire officials said.

“The emotional and spiritual impact of this tragedy is immense,” said mosque board member Touhid Kahn. “The building can be damaged, but faith, unity and community cannot be destroyed. We will need help emotionally, spiritually and financially to rebuild.”

Officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the State Fire Marshal in concert with local officials are investigating to determine how the fire started.

A motorist passing by on nearby Hwy. 13 spotted the blaze and called 911.

Hours after the fire, representatives from the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) were joined by Prior Lake’s mayor, state legislators and others who surveyed the damage and spoke during a news conference.

“We don’t know exactly what happened here. We hope it was an accident,” Hussein said. “This is a significant blow to us.”

The fire left about 200 students from kindergarten through 12th grade with no place to attend classes Monday, but two satellite campuses remained open.

“Our heart is broken,” said Mayor Kirt Briggs, as he said many will wait for a “thorough investigation” to determine what caused the fire.

The mosque in the heart of a neighborhood opened in 2017 and was active in the community. It held a yearly celebration to show appreciation for first responders, Briggs said.

CAIR is urging mosques and all places of worship to increase security protocols, remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately.

But he said, Minnesota has led the nation in attacks against mosques over the past four years, with damage exceeding $3 million. He said 40 mosques have been the target of vandalism or arson in that period, including a break-in late last month at the Masjid Uthman Islamic Center in north Minneapolis.

Last year there were 16 incidents against mosques in Minnesota. The next highest was five in California, Hussein said.

As the cleanup and investigation continues, Kahn asked for the community to keep all affected in their thoughts and prayers.

“We are grieving deeply,” he said.

Imam Hassan Jama, who serves a mosque in Minneapolis and is not connected to Masjid Hamza, echoed Kahn’s request.