It is hard – no, impossible – to understand why anybody would set fire to the iconic Danish Windmill at Kenmare.

Built in 1902 by an immigrant Danish farmer and moved to the heart of Kenmare in the late 1950s, the mill is a treasure – one of the most photographed buildings or views in North Dakota.

To learn that the fire discovered early last Sunday might of been set is more than difficult to take. Who would do such a thing and why? If true, it would be a slap in the face to thousands of people who brought their skills and customs to a new land and took up new lives here, as well as the current residents of Kenmare and the surrounding area.

Law enforcement officers are still seeking tips about the cause of the fire. Please help if you can.

Kenmare police chief Allisha Britton said Wednesday that the fire caused some structural damage to the inside supporting beams and fire damage to the wood on the inside. Britton said there were three spots where the fire burned through to the outside of the wall.

We can all be thankful that the structure wasn’t destroyed outright.

Britton said the fire marshal came and took samples from the site and sent them away for testing. The police department is waiting on the results of the testing before the fire can officially be ruled an arson.

No suspects have yet been identified, but both the Kenmare Police Department and the Ward County Sheriff’s Office are actively investigating the case.

“There has been a large public anger and frustration and sadness about it,” said Britton.

We get that and concur.