Man who died in Clay County house fire identified

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) – A man who died in a rural Clay County house fire last month has been identified as 76-year-old Terry Steinwag.

The March 12 fire destroyed the home at 26627 43rd Ave. N. The home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.

Sheriff Mark Empting says Steinwag was identified “by circumstance” because the medical examiner was not able to identify the remains using DNA samples. Steinwag was the only person who lived in the home.

Empting says the Minnesota Fire Marshal’s Office could not determine the cause of the fire due to the “total destruction” of the residence.