MOUNT PLEASANT - Fire investigators have not pinpointed a cause for the large fire that destroyed an outbuilding on Braun Road late Wednesday.

Chief Bill Bouma said although the fire appears to be accidental, there are numerous possibilities as to how the fire ignited. It is possible, he said, that lightning struck the building or that work being done in the building caused the fire.

Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant firefighters were called to the scene at 12325 Braun Road just minutes before 11 p.m. Wednesday. When they arrived, the two-story outbuilding was fully involved.

Firefighters worked to keep the fire from catching to a nearby residence. The work was difficult, as the area is a non-hydrant area. Water had to be brought in in the form of tanker trucks from Caledonia and Raymond.

One firefighter injured his back during the incident. He was not transported to the hospital, but will probably not be able to return to work for a few days.

Firefighters were on the scene from late Wednesday into early Thursday morning. They left the residence shortly after 2 a.m. Investigators then returned a few hours later and spent most of the day Thursday trying to determine what caused the blaze.

Bouma said the extent of the fire means that investigators may never know the exact cause.

"There was so much damage," he said. "(The building) was basically gone when we got there. There is nothing to be saved."

Property damage estimates were not immediately available.