Western Minnesota residents report fireball

FERGUS FALLS (AP) -- Some people in western Minnesota reported seeing a fireball in the sky early Friday morning, a possible preview of a major meteor shower this weekend.

An Otter Tail County sheriff's dispatcher said the department took a number of 911 calls from people reporting a fireball northwest of Fergus Falls and northwest of Star Lake. The calls started just after 4 a.m.

The department sent some officers respond to the first two calls, but then decided just to monitor the situation.

Authorities believe the fireball was a meteor, possibly part of the Leonid meteor shower that's expected to hit its peak early Sunday.