DILWORTH, Minn. - The former fire chief here faces felony charges after allegedly threatening to burn down the houses of his co-workers.
Kurt Kennedy, 49, was charged in a Clay County District Court complaint summons Friday with one felony count of making terroristic threats.
Kennedy, who had been a member of the fire department since before 1999, was fire chief in Dilworth until October. He also was president of the Clay County Fire Chief's Association until resigning in October, according to a Clay County Fire Chief's Association meeting agenda.
The criminal complaint states that Kennedy said he lost everything because of the department, but that he had a plan of revenge and that he'd win, according to a WDAY-TV report.
That included revenge on several members of the Fire Department and City Council, the complaint stated.
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According to the complaint, Kennedy said, "I'm going to burn everyone's house on the Fire Department starting with Mark Empting's and go down the list."
Empting is now the Dilworth fire chief.
Kennedy said he doesn't remember saying any of those things, according to a WDAY-TV report.
If convicted, Kennedy faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
He is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 23.
