Police: Fire at governor’s former home was arson

Published 12:55 am Monday, July 4, 2011

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis police are investigating what they say was an arson fire at Gov. Mark Dayton’s former home.

Sgt. Steve McCarty says firefighters were called about 2 p.m. Saturday but the home’s current owners extinguished

the blaze before they arrived. He says the fire did little damage.

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McCarty said the fire could have been set for political reasons if someone thought the governor still owned the house. Minnesota’s government has been shut down because of a disagreement between the Democratic governor and Republican legislators over the budget.

The home is near Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. Dayton’s spokeswoman says he lived there more than 10 years ago.