Firefighters at the scene of a house fire on Nelson Street on Oct. 17, 2024. (Credit: St. Paul Fire Department) (Supplied)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man in St. Paul was rushed to the hospital in critical condition early Thursday morning after firefighters discovered him unconscious while conducting a search of the home after a garage fire.
What we know
The St. Paul Fire Department (SPFD) said the indecent happened just before 3 a.m. on the 10 block of Nelson Street, located in the city's Battle Creek neighborhood. Fire crews were dispatched to the scene and found heavy smoke and flames coming from a garage attached to the home.
Fire officials said people inside the house had safely evacuated and told crews there was no one else inside. However, while conducting a search of the house, firefighters found an unconscious man in the basement of the home.
Firefighters at the scene of a house fire on Nelson Street on Oct. 17, 2024. (Credit: St. Paul Fire Department) (Supplied)
The man was rescued from the house, and EMS started life-saving measures. The SPFD said he was transported to the hospital in critical condition. No other injuries were reported.
The preliminary investigation indicates the fire was contained to the garage, and the fire was quickly put out, but black smoke made its way through the house. Pictures provided by the SPFD show smoke damage on the outside of the house and a vehicle parked in the garage covered in soot.
What we don’t know
The SPFD did not say what caused the fire, and it’s unknown whether the house had working smoke detectors.
Further details about the man found in the basement or the extent of his injuries were not released. The SPFD did not say how many people were in the house at the time of the fire.
The incident remains under investigation.