Maple Grove investigators are saying that the massive commercial greenhouse fire that lit up the nighttime sky over the weekend was an act of arson.
A passerby spotted the blaze at the Lynde Greenhouse & Nursery about 3:30 a.m. Sunday, and crews rushed to the scene in the 9200 block of Pineview Lane to find a heavy fire involving landscaping and gardening supplies.
It took firefighters from Maple Grove and five neighboring communities several hours to extinguish the blaze, and they remained at the scene until midafternoon Sunday putting out hot spots. No injuries were reported.
The fire is "being investigated as possible arson," read a statement Tuesday night from police.
Investigators have identified five juveniles as "persons of interest," the statement continued, a classification routinely used by law enforcement when referencing potential suspects in a crime.
As of Wednesday morning, no arrests have been announced.
Lynde has since reopened and "are taking it week by week," the business announced on Facebook. Hours for now are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Electricity has yet to be restored, the notice posted Tuesday morning continued, cautioning customers that Lynde is only accepting cash for purchases.
Police said that anyone with information about the fire should call detective Angela Tschida at 763-494-6214 or email atschida@maplegrovemn.gov. Anonymous tips can be submitted to CrimeStoppers of Minnesota at 800-222-8477, at crimestoppersmn.org, or through its P3 Tips mobile app.
Lynde got its start in Golden Valley around 1900, and around World War I found a niche in growing and selling flowers. The nursery moved to its existing location in 1971. The original retail center opened in 1982 and did so well that a new retail space was built in 1989, according to its website.
