Two charged in house explosion

Two people have been charged in connection with a house explosion on July 17, 2018.
According to Le Sueur County Sheriff Brett Mason, Christopher Hale is charged with three counts of Insurance Fraud and one count of Conspire to Commit Arson in Le Sueur County District Court for the explosion and fire that occurred at property located at 104 3rd Street SW in Montgomery.
His wife, Isabella Hale, is also charged with two counts of Insurance Fraud and one count of Conspire to Commit Arson for the same incident.
The couple will be summoned to appear in Le Sueur County District Court on these charges at a later date, Mason stated in a news release.
The property where the explosion occurred that leveled the property and inflicted extensive damages to a neighboring residence, is owned by Christopher Hale of Lakeville, who was buying and selling houses and rental properties. At the time of the fire, the Montgomery property was vacant and had been previously posted on the market as for sale.
The explosion and fire were reported to the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at approx. 2:18 a.m., July 17, 2018. The Montgomery Fire Department responded to the location, and with the assistance from the Le Center and New Prague Fire Departments, the fire was controlled and extinguished.
After the fire, the Montgomery Police Department, assisted by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, CenterPoint Energy, National Pipeline Safety and representatives of State Farm Insurance investigated the cause and origin of the fire. After a natural gas line leak was eliminated as the cause, investigators dug-out the remains of the house and located evidence of flammable liquids, Mason’s press release stated.
“Based on this evidence along with information previously reported to the Police Department that indicated the owner of the property was going to burn the house, the fire was ruled to have been intentionally set or arson,” Mason stated.
As part of the investigation, it was established the Hales were in the Boston area, visiting friends and family at the time of the fire. After Christopher returned to Minnesota, a Montgomery Police Department Officer met with him. He denied any involvement with the fire.
“Thereafter, Hale would submit a claim to State Farm Insurance totaling approximately $360,000 for damaged and loss property,” Mason stated.
Over the course of the following weeks/months, Montgomery Police Department requested that the Sheriff’s Office assist with this investigation.
As part of the investigation, investigators collected additional witness statements and digital/electronic evidence involving Christopher and Isabella Hale, along with a third person, a 30-year male subject employed at Hale’s Minnesota Kitchens Company, whom investigator’s suspected actually started the fire while Christopher Hale was in Boston. However, in September 2020, this subject was found deceased in Santa Monica, California.
In February of 2021, Sheriff’s Office investigators, assisted by the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant at the Hale’s residence in rural Dakota County, where additional evidence was collected.