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The Associated Press
Melrose, Minn.

Fire damages historic church in central Minnesota

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A fire has caused extensive damage to a historic church in central Minnesota.

Crews were called late Friday afternoon to Church of St. Mary in Melrose and sprayed water onto the building into the evening.

The St. Cloud Times reports the fire apparently started on the west end of the building, where the sacristy is located.

No one was hurt. But preliminary estimates peg the damage at $1 million or more.

The state fire marshal's office is investigating. The Department of Public Safety says federal agents will be contacted, which is standard procedure in fires at religious structures.

Crews from Sauk Centre, Melrose and Freeport battled the blaze. The building dates to the 1890s.