4-alarm fire in south Minneapolis injures 3, displaces 50
MINNEAPOLIS — A four-alarm fire in Minneapolis that started Wednesday night has displaced dozens of people and significantly damaged three buildings, officials said.
The fire began in a garage on the 5600 block of Lyndale Avenue South around 11:25 p.m., the Minneapolis Fire Department said. It spread to two adjacent buildings — a three-story apartment complex and a residential motel.
"Forgive my English, but it looks like hell on earth right now," displaced resident Travoi Tuttle said. "It's pretty scary."
Crews managed to evacuate all of the residents while working to extinguish the fire. While it started as a two-alarm fire, it was eventually escalated to the highest level, which meant half of the department's resources were at the scene.
One resident was hospitalized for a respiratory condition, the department said, and two firefighters needed treatment for injuries. At least 50 residents were displaced.
"I heard a loud explosion, and then I saw what sounded like a car explosion, a loud pop. Embers started burning, and then that building caught on fire behind us," Tuttle said. "I'm sick to my stomach. It's horrible, because I know all the residents and everybody's struggling and getting by and everyone just got in a good place, everyone's just starting over, including myself. And now this."
The garage burned to the ground with five to seven cars inside it. The apartment complex's roof totally collapsed, while the roof of the motel partially collapsed.
Minneapolis Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said he's just thankful it wasn't worse.
"That is a lot of structures lost in a short amount of time, but structures can be rebuilt," Tyner said. "We're just glad we haven't had any fire fatalities to this point and it seems like all the residents were able to get out."
A spokesperson for Agate, which operates one of the housing complexes, said 16 of the building's 38 units are unlivable. The building provides low-income housing, and Agate said it is working to find stable, safe places to stay for the affected residents.
"One moment I left home knowing I was going to go back home to my bed and sleep next thing you know I'm getting kicked out because it's burned up," said Daniel Castillo, a resident.
Castillo said he was at work when his father called him to tell him their apartment was on fire. He rushed over and couldn't believe what he saw.
"When I got here, I just heard another car blow up," he said. "It's heartbreaking, it's not easy to get over it."
Castillo and his family had hours to pack up a home they lived in for six years.
Beth Plankers is a resident at Metro Inn Motel, a transitional motel for those experiencing homelessness.
"Words can't even describe the feeling I have running through me right now," Plankers said while holding back tears. "This is like my first place I had to actually call my very own in a very long time meant a lot to me."
It's a place full of happy memories, she hopes to recreate. For now, outside her apartment and the other building an intent to condemn letter hangs.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.