Subdivision 1. Duty. The chief of the fire department of each city in which a fire department is established, and the mayor of each city in which no fire department exists, and the president of the statutory city board of each statutory city in which no fire department exists, and the town clerk of each town without the limits of any city or statutory city, shall investigate, or cause to be investigated, the cause, origin, and circumstances of each fire occurring in the city, statutory city or town by which property has been destroyed or damaged when the damage exceeds $100, except that all fires of unknown origin shall be reported, and shall especially make investigation as to whether the fire was the result of carelessness, accident, or design.
Subd. 2. Coordination by state fire marshal. The investigation shall be begun within two days of the occurrence of the fire and the state fire marshal shall have the right to coordinate the investigation on deeming it necessary.
Subd. 3. Reporting and records requirements. The officer making investigation of fires occurring in cities, statutory cities and towns shall forthwith notify the state fire marshal and shall, within one week of the occurrence of the fire, furnish to the state fire marshal a written statement of all the facts relating to the cause and origin of the fire and such further information as may be called for by the blanks furnished by the state fire marshal. The state fire marshal shall keep a record of all fires occurring in the state, together with all facts, statistics, and circumstances, including the origin of the fires, which may be determined by the investigation provided by this chapter. These statistics shall be at all times open to public inspection.
Subd. 3a. [Repealed, 2014 c 212 art 3 s 1]
Subd. 4. Investigation by state fire marshal. The state fire marshal may conduct further investigation necessary to establish reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of Minnesota Statutes 1976, sections 609.561 to 609.576, has occurred.
Subd. 5. Notification. (a) As used in this subdivision, "chief officer" means the city fire marshal or chief officer of a law enforcement agency's arson investigation unit in a city of the first class.
(b) The officer making investigation of a fire resulting in a human death shall immediately notify either the state fire marshal or a chief officer. The state fire marshal or chief officer may conduct an investigation to establish the origin and cause regarding the circumstance of the death. If the chief officer undertakes the investigation, the officer shall promptly notify the state fire marshal of the investigation and, after the investigation is completed, shall forward a copy of the investigative report to the state fire marshal. Unless the investigating officer does so, the state fire marshal or chief officer shall immediately notify the appropriate coroner or medical examiner of a human death occurring as a result of a fire. The coroner or medical examiner shall perform an autopsy in the case of a human death as provided in section 390.11, subdivision 2a, or 390.32, subdivision 2a, as appropriate.
(5955) 1913 c 564 s 6; 1967 c 543 s 1; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7; 1978 c 777 s 2,3; 1986 c 444; 1993 c 326 art 5 s 1; 1998 c 367 art 11 s 9; 1999 c 139 art 4 s 2
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 299A - 299N — Public Safety
Section 299F.01 — Fire Marshal.
Section 299F.011 — State Fire Code; Administration And Enforcement.
Section 299F.0115 — Exemption For Members Of Federally Recognized Tribes.
Section 299F.012 — Fire Safety Account.
Section 299F.013 — Fuel Dispensing.
Section 299F.014 — Petroleum Storage Tanks; Tank Vehicle Parking.
Section 299F.03 — Special Attorney.
Section 299F.035 — Fire Department Use Of Criminal History Data.
Section 299F.036 — Firefighter; Previous Employment Investigation.
Section 299F.037 — Reporting Firefighter Deaths.
Section 299F.04 — Origin Of Fire Investigated; Computerized Arson Data.
Section 299F.05 — Law Enforcement Powers; Information System.
Section 299F.051 — Arson Training.
Section 299F.052 — Arson Reporting Immunity Law, Citation.
Section 299F.053 — Definitions.
Section 299F.054 — Disclosure Of Information.
Section 299F.055 — Confidential Data; Evidence.
Section 299F.056 — Enforcement.
Section 299F.057 — Applicability Of Ordinances; Concurrent Jurisdiction.
Section 299F.059 — Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention.
Section 299F.06 — Testimonial Powers.
Section 299F.08 — Premises, When Entered.
Section 299F.09 — Building Entered Within Reasonable Hours.
Section 299F.092 — Definitions.
Section 299F.093 — Powers And Duties Of Commissioner.
Section 299F.094 — Report Required; Contents.
Section 299F.095 — Powers And Duties Of Fire Department.
Section 299F.096 — Duty To Safeguard Private Information.
Section 299F.099 — Local Ordinance Preempted.
Section 299F.18 — Combustible Material Removed.
Section 299F.19 — Flammable Liquids And Explosives.
Section 299F.20 — Failure To Comply, Punishment.
Section 299F.28 — Records Are Public, Exceptions.
Section 299F.29 — County And City Attorneys To Assist.
Section 299F.30 — Fire Drill In School; Doors And Exits.
Section 299F.31 — Penalties Paid Into State Treasury.
Section 299F.32 — Statutory Construction.
Section 299F.35 — Statement Of Insured, Use In Civil Action.
Section 299F.3605 — Petroleum Refineries.
Section 299F.362 — Smoke Detector; Installation; Rules; Penalty.
Section 299F.391 — Health Care, Education, Or Lodging Facility.
Section 299F.40 — Liquefied Petroleum Or Industrial Gas Container.
Section 299F.46 — Hotel Inspections.
Section 299F.47 — School Inspections.
Section 299F.48 — Automatic Sprinkler Systems In Existing Public Housing Buildings.
Section 299F.50 — Definitions.
Section 299F.51 — Requirements For Carbon Monoxide Alarms.
Section 299F.56 — Definitions; Natural Gas Pipeline Safety.
Section 299F.57 — Safety Standards; Gas Pipeline.
Section 299F.58 — Certification And Report To Federal Government.
Section 299F.59 — Compliance With Standards.
Section 299F.60 — Pipeline Violation; Rules, Civil Penalties.
Section 299F.61 — Pipeline Violation; Injunctive Relief, Judicial Procedure.
Section 299F.62 — Plan To Operate And Maintain Gas Pipeline.
Section 299F.63 — Records, Reports, Inspections.
Section 299F.631 — Inspection Fee; Assessment, Rules.
Section 299F.64 — Federal Money.
Section 299F.641 — Intrastate Hazardous Liquid Pipeline.
Section 299F.72 — Definitions.
Section 299F.73 — License Required.
Section 299F.74 — Permit Required For Possession Or Use.
Section 299F.75 — Permit Application.
Section 299F.76 — Affirmation And Identification; Effective Period.
Section 299F.77 — Issuance To Certain Persons Prohibited.
Section 299F.785 — Black Powder.
Section 299F.79 — Unlawful Possession Of Component; Penalty.
Section 299F.80 — Unlawful Possession Of Explosive; Penalties.
Section 299F.82 — Illegal Transfer; Penalty.
Section 299F.83 — Negligent Discharge.
Section 299F.831 — Handling While Influenced By Alcohol Or Drug.
Section 299F.850 — Cigarette Fire Safety Definitions.
Section 299F.851 — Test Method And Performance Standard.
Section 299F.852 — Certification And Product Change.
Section 299F.853 — Marking And Cigarette Packaging.
Section 299F.854 — Penalties And Remedies.
Section 299F.855 — Implementation.
Section 299F.856 — Inspection.
Section 299F.857 — Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity Account.