Fire South of Aitkin Results in Three Deaths

A house fire south of Aitkin has killed three people.

In the early morning hours of May 22nd, the Aitkin Fire Department, the Garrison Fire Department, and Aitkin County deputies arrived on the scene of a trailer home fire in Wealthwood Township, just north of Mille Lacs Lake. The structure was fully engulfed and collapsed in on itself. Emergency responders managed to extinguish the fire. Along with the State Fire Marshal, they began to sift through the charred debris.

According to a press release from the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office, responders found the bodies of three people, two adults and one child, and two dogs in the debris. The victims are determined to be Jeffrey Cleys, 69 and Michelle Cleys, 55, of Aitkin and their grandchild, Grant Diehl, 6, of Deerwood.

Officials say the cause of the fire is under investigation, but the space heater is suspected to have contributed to the fire.