Minneapolis Mosque Fire Raises Alarm in Muslim Community Despite ‘Accidental’ Ruling

IQNA – A fire at a Minneapolis mosque has stirred concern among Muslim leaders, who are calling for a deeper investigation even after fire officials said the incident was accidental.

The blaze broke out Monday evening at the Alhikma Islamic Center on 32nd Street in south Minneapolis, which houses both a mosque and a child care center.

Firefighters said they responded at 5:31 p.m. and put out a pile of burning clothes and trash at the basement entrance before flames spread inside. No injuries were reported, and the building was not damaged.

The Minneapolis Fire Department concluded Tuesday that the fire was caused accidentally, possibly linked to unhoused individuals using the stairwell area. Police said trash and drug paraphernalia had been a recurring issue at the site, MPR News reported on Tuesday.

Still, community leaders questioned how the case was handled. Jaylani Hussein, head of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said officials did not interview witnesses or review surveillance footage on the night of the fire.

He urged law enforcement to take immediate steps, warning that “there’s not another attacker who’s loose who is starting another fire.”

Muslim communities in Minnesota have faced a string of mosque attacks in recent years. Hussein said they recorded 16 such incidents in 2024 alone. Last month, a man pleaded guilty to arson for setting fires at two mosques in the Twin Cities last year.

Alhikma’s Imam Abdirizak Kaynan stressed that the daycare attached to the mosque usually hosts 50 to 60 children, arguing the incident should not have been treated “like a dumpster fire in an empty lot.”

Police said the case remains under review and that they are working with mosque leaders to obtain surveillance footage. “We take all community members’ concerns seriously,” a police spokesperson said, urging anyone with information to contact investigators.

Source: Agencies