Minneapolis apartment fire leaves 4 hospitalized, others rescued from building
4 hospitalized in Minneapolis apartment fire
An overnight apartment fire in downtown Minneapolis left four people hospitalized, including a child, and dozens without a home. Minneapolis fire officials say several people were rescued from the burning building, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Several people were saved from a burning apartment building, and dozens of others are left without a home after an overnight fire in downtown Minneapolis.
What we know
Fire crews were dispatched just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday to a fire at a four-story apartment building on the 1500 block of 11th Avenue South. Upon arrival, crews saw flames on the third floor and heard reports that people may be trapped inside.
As crews battled the blaze, other firefighters used 40-foot ladders to rescue residents hanging out the back windows, while the rest of the building was evacuated. Fire crews also rescued a dog, which was reunited with its owner after receiving oxygen treatment.
"We risk a lot to save a lot, so we will go in to save lives… firefighters did make that initial interior attack just to start evacuating and seeing if there are rescues," said Minneapolis fire spokesperson Melanie Rucker.
Two adults and one child were transported to the hospital with burn injuries, along with a person suffering from smoke inhalation. Minneapolis fire officials said the people injured are in serious but stable condition.
Paramedics on the scene also checked two firefighters for overexertion and they were later released.
The fire in the rear stairwell extended rapidly through the stairwell on all floors. As the fire continued to spread, flames could be seen shooting from the roof. Crews battling the fire from the inside evacuated over concerns about the roof possibly collapsing.
The Minneapolis Fire Department called a third-alarm fire for additional personnel. Local energy and gas companies responded to help by shutting off the power lines in the area and gas in the building for safety reasons.
What we don’t know
Two Metro Transit buses were on the scene to help provide shelter for approximately 30 residents. Fire officials do not have an exact number of how many people were rescued from the burning building.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Minneapolis fire officials said they initially responded to reports of someone possibly starting a fire. It's unknown whether the building had a sprinkler system or if it went off.
As of 7:30 a.m., crews remained on the scene and were tending to hotspots. The fire remains under investigation.