By Tim Rieder, Associated PressEAGAN, Ind.
(AP) Eagan, the Indiana city where many shopping centers are built, has been the site of at least eight major fires, including two that burned out of control.
The fires are linked to a water heater leak at the north mall in downtown Eagan that sparked an explosion and forced firefighters to use water cannons, the Eagan Fire Department reported Monday.
There were no injuries in either incident.
The north mall was evacuated after the fire was reported.
Firefighters were called about 1 a.m. to the north-side Eagan mall after a resident reported a loud, rapid fire.
A spokesman for the EAGN fire department said the fire department was called to the scene and firefighters were able to contain the blaze and contain the water heater.
The north mall, with about 50,000 residents, reopened Tuesday after firefighters cleared the north side of the mall and evacuated surrounding neighborhoods.
It was closed to the public.
The fire at the Eagans south mall sparked an evacuation after a fire alarm was activated and an explosion at the fire station caused an alarm.
The Eagan fire department says it responded to the south mall around 3:20 a.mp.
(12:20 p.m.) and a smoke bomb was deployed.
A smoke bomb is a device that is released to stop a fire and then released again, to cause a fire to burn.
The device is placed on a roof or in an area where the smoke is not expected to spread, but can be deadly.