Minnesota officials say lodge that burned had 3 unresolved inspection violations

(AP) – Minnesota regulators said Wednesday that a historic lodge destroyed in a fire had three unresolved violations from a recent fire code inspection, but it isn’t clear if those violations played a role in the blaze.

A staffer at Lutsen Lodge on Lake Superior spotted smoke coming from electrical outlets in the lobby around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. The employee made it out and no guests were checked in, but the lodge was destroyed.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says the State Fire Marshal division performed an inspection in July and found seven violations. The agency says the property owner repaired four of them, but says it’s too early to determine if the outstanding violations “played a role in the fire.”