Fire destroys house in Minneapolis’ Hawthorne neighborhood
A home in Minneapolis's Hawthorne neighborhood was left uninhabitable after a fire on Saturday, Nov. 19. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Firefighters were battling a blaze that caused extensive damage to a 2 ½ story house in the Hawthorne neighborhood Saturday morning.
The Minneapolis Fire Department said crews responded to a report of a residential fire at 7:38 a.m. on the 400 block of 24th Avenue North.
Upon arrival, firefighters could see flames coming from the back of the house on the first and second floors. Crews began searching the home, but no one was found inside.
The fire was out around 8:30 a.m., and crews began extinguishing hotspots. No injuries were reported.
The fire department said the home was deemed uninhabitable. The Red Cross was called for assistance in finding temporary shelter for two adults who were displaced.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Recent fires
There have been several residential fires in the past few days. On Tuesday, a kitchen fire destroyed nine units in an Edina apartment complex. Initially, 39 units were forced to evacuate, and residents in 30 units were allowed to return home Friday morning.
In Iowa, a house fire on Wednesday killed four children and injured several others. Fire officials determined an electrical power strip caused the fire.
Crews in St. Francis battled a house fire on Friday, where plumes of smoke could be seen coming out of a hole where the roof once was. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
Fire safety
Home fires occur more in winter than in any other season. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said one in every seven home fires involves heating equipment.
The Minnesota Department of Safety (DPS) said over the last five years, 41% of fire deaths in the state occurred in November, December and January.
To help prevent fires, the agencies recommend keeping anything that can burn at least three feet from heat sources, only plugging in one heating source per outlet, and keeping all vents clear of snow, ice and debris.
For more safety tips, view the DPS flyer here and the FEMA flyer here.