Heavy rain and thunderstorms continue across southeastern Minnesota Thursday evening.

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Several southern Minnesota fire departments were fighting a fire Thursday night at Northfield's historic Archer House River Inn. As Friday morning dawned, those same crews were still keeping watch over the smoking ruins. 

The fire started around 4 p.m. Thursday. Firefighters say it started in the restaurant portion of the building, and then spread to the other wings. 

Crews were able to get everyone out of the hotel safely, but since it is such an old building they worked throughout the night putting down hot spots.

"This is a huge, huge loss,” said Rich Larson, news director for KYMN radio in Northfield, which operates near the inn. “The architecture is actually kind of rare ... it's a huge heartbreak to see this happen.”

 is more than 140 years old, first opening to guests in August of 1877. The hotel reopened under new ownership in 2012 as a historically restored property. Northfield's Fire Chief Gary Franek said that the damage is extensive to the hotel and the building is a total loss.

MPR News reporter Jon Collins contributed to this report. 

Disasters

Firefighters remained at the scene of a fire that damaged Northfield's historic Archer House River Inn, KARE 11 reports. The fire started around 4 p.m. Thursday.

Crews battle fire at historic Archer House in Northfield

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