Two die in mobile home explosion, sheriff’s office says

Two people died when a mobile home exploded in Mille Lacs County early Tuesday morning. According to the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office, multiple calls came in to 911 shortly after 4 a.m. reporting a possible explosion in the area of the 8200 block of 85th Avenue in Princeton, Minnesota. The blast could be heard miles away.

When Deputies arrived on scene they found a large debris field and a fire was still burning. Mutliple fire departments assisted to put out the fire and a search of the debris began.

According to Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Evenson, first responders located two victims who were later identified as Katherine A. Kreger, 61, and her husband, Royce E. Kreger Jr., 60. A family dog also died in the explosion.

The cause is under investigation by the office of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal. He said deputies who went to the scene saw a tank shooting propane into the air.

The Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Princeton, Baldwin and Milaca Fire Departments as well as North Memorial EMS on scene.

Princeton, a community of about 5,300 residents, is 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Minneapolis.