Fire Dept. lets house burn down for $25

Yes I thought it was in N'awlins, too.

INTERNATIONAL FALLS, Minn. There's outrage in northern Minnesota after firefighters allowed a man's mobile home to burn.
Carl Berg had failed to pay the 25-dollar annual fee required for fire protection for homes outside International Falls city limits.

Berg says he couldn't afford the fee or fire insurance. He says he lost everything in last month's fire.

The Fire Department poured enough water to put the fire out temporarily and make sure everyone was safe. But when the blaze rekindled later, firefighters let the flames destroy what was left.

Fire Chief Jerry Jensen says he doesn't want to see that happen again. He says a firefighter's job is to "put out fires, not to watch them burn."

Local officials have been haggling for two years over how to pay for fire protection.

That's the whole article.
Via Fark