Church in Minnesota town of Cosmos destroyed in fire
Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze said First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cosmos was "engulfed in flames" when first responders arrived just after 1:30 a.m.
Before that, someone driving on Highway 4 noticed "a glow," Cruze said, and investigated, finding the church aflame and subsequently calling 911.
No injuries were reported, but the church is "a total loss," Cruze said.
Authorities, including the Minnesota State Fire Marshal, are investigating.
In a statement, First Evangelical Lutheran said, "We are a small country church in rural Cosmos with strong roots." The church shared a message from one of its members on Facebook, saying in part, "Maybe the lesson is that the church is not just the building, it's the people, and our faith is still standing."
The church is working on fundraising efforts.
Earlier this summer, WCCO's John Lauritsen went Finding Minnesota in Cosmos to highlight the town's astral obsession. All of the city's streets are named for galaxies, planets and constellations, and its yearly Space Festival features a rocket and an alien named Neptune Ned.
Cosmos is about 80 miles west of Minneapolis.John Lauritsen
contributed to this report.
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