Charges Filed Against Three Juveniles for Lynde Greenhouse Arson Last Fall
Three juveniles were recently charged with arson and burglary in connection with the massive fire that damaged Maple Grove’s Lynde Greenhouse and Nursey in October 2022.
According to Maple Grove Police Commander Jon Wetternach, the Hennepin County Attorney’s office has charged one 15-year-old with felony counts of second and third-degree arson.
A 14-year-old and a 15-year-old were also charged with misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree burglary in connection with the fire.
Wetternach described the multi-agency investigation as “complex.”
“The fire had a devastating impact on a long-term Maple Grove business,” he said. “While extensive property damage occurred, we are fortunate there was no personal injury or loss of life.”
Wetternach declined to comment further on the investigation as it remains active in the juvenile judicial system.
Lynde’s Greenhouse & Nursery temporarily closes after major fire on Oct. 2, 2022.
Massive fire destroyed several buildings
The Maple Grove Fire Department was dispatched to the greenhouse, located at 9293 Pineview Ln. N., at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 2, 2022.
“This fire was really raging when first resources got there,” Maple Grove Fire Chief Tim Bush told CCX Media shortly after the fire. “It looked like a fully-involved inferno, really high flames.”
Several fire fighting agencies responded to the three-alarm fire.
Two buildings at the greenhouse were ultimately destroyed before the fire was extinguished.
The business temporarily closed following the fire, but neighbors provided support by moving the surviving plants out of the greenhouse space.
Greenhouse reopened this spring
The greenhouse reopened on March 20, five months after the fire forced its temporary closure.
“Everybody’s pitched in, everybody’s been willing to help,” Derek Lynde, president of the greenhouse told CCX this spring. “I’m learning a lot more about commercial construction projects than I ever wanted to know.”
Lynde estimated a full rebuild of the facility will take more than a year.
However, the full greenhouse staff remains employed by the company.
