Transformer fire forces KARE 11 evacuation and remote operations

A transformer fire at KARE’s building Tuesday afternoon prompted a full evacuation of the station’s staff and broadcast facility. The fire began around 1:30 p.m. on the south side of the building with no injuries reported.

According to KARE 11, power was cut to the building during the fire to prevent additional damage.

On Wednesday and Thursday, employees were not allowed to reenter the facility, as the air was scrubbed. It is unclear whether any broadcast infrastructure or equipment sustained damage from smoke or a fire suppression system.

“The flames themselves didn’t get inside, but there was a lot of smoke that got sucked into the building,” said Doug Wieder, general manager of KARE 11. “That is what we’re trying to get a handle on — cleaning the air, scrubbing all of the smoke out of the air, making sure we’re understanding exactly what we’re dealing with from an environmental perspective.”

Despite the disruption, KARE 11 returned to air for its 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts Tuesday, using a remote setup near its broadcast tower in Shoreview. The station acknowledged that the shows are currently airing in a simplified format with reduced image quality.

Wednesday morning’s “KARE 11 Sunrise” newscast originated from WXIA, a Tegna sister station in Atlanta. KARE’s Lauren Leamanczyk and John Zeigler temporarily relocated, with WXIA providing production assistance. 

The station noted to NCS that it will continue using Tegna network resources and produce newscasts from WXIA until a temporary local workspace is established.

The station emphasized to NCS that news and weather coverage will continue across linear and digital platforms despite the setback.

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As of Thursday, broadcasts continue to originate from Shoreview, with a satellite truck providing a mobile control room, and WXIA in Atlanta.