BRIEF: Improperly discarded smoking materials led to fire on Lakeview Boulevard

Feb. 04--A fire last month that injured two people and badly damaged a home on Lakeview Boulevard started from improperly discarded smoking materials, according to the Albert Lea Fire Department.

The conclusion came after an investigation by the Fire Department, Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office and insurance investigators into the Jan. 26 fire at 449 Lakeview Boulevard, according to a press release.

The fire started in the living room of the home and spread throughout the house. Firefighters spent about six hours extinguishing the blaze.

The homeowners, David and Joyce Richards, escaped from the home but were injured. Joyce Richards has since been released from the hospital, and David Richards is still being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.

The whole structure of the house has retained damages estimated at over $128,000.

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