Lakefront Mansion Destroyed By Fire So Massive, Smoke Was On Weather Radar

Fire continued burning Thursday morning more than 12 hours after a multimillion-dollar home under construction became engulfed in flames on Lake Minnetonka’s northeastern shore, authorities said.

“One truck is on scene monitoring the fire in the basement,” Wayzata Fire Chief Kevin Klapprich said. “The crew is just monitoring to make sure it goes nowhere.”

The unoccupied property at 2750 Gale Road, on Breezy Point in Woodland, caught fire about 6:15 p.m., Klapprich said. Soon after, one firefighter reported “a large explosion” as flames overwhelmed the structure, according to emergency dispatch audio.

No injuries were reported, and authorities have yet to give a preliminary indication of how the fire started.

The mansion on the 2.6-acres property that offers more than 300 feet of shoreline was leveled and the tract sold in September 2017 for $5.4 million, according to Hennepin County records.