Plymouth Apartment Fire Displaces 150 People
GALLERY: Aerials Of Plymouth Apt. Fire Damage
PLYMOUTH, Minn. (WCCO) -- More than 150 people are out of their homes after flames tore through an apartment building in Plymouth early Friday morning.
It happened around 1 a.m. at the Parkside Apartments at Medicine Lake.
About 17 fire departments were called out to the five-alarm fire.
One man suffered smoke inhalation and is being hospitalized for it.
Three firefighters were also injured. One was treated on the scene for heat exhaustion. The other two were brought to the hospital to be treated for heat exhaustion, and a non-life threatening injury.
There were 36 apartments badly damaged by the fire, smoke or water. The building has 72 units total.
"I was like, 'Oh my God, that's the side of my building.' It's really, really close. All my stuff is gone. We have no renters insurance -- not good," said Amy Biegert, who lives in the apartment building.
The residents who could, were allowed to look at their apartments at 8 a.m.
The Red Cross is also helping those who need help finding a place to stay. They deployed a mobile feeding truck to provide water and snacks, and client caseworkers to assess immediate needs. Health services have been the greatest need, they said.
Crews don't know yet what caused the fire, but they are investigating. Firefighters said a cause likely won't be determined for four to five days. One resident said they noticed a person had paper lanterns with an open flame underneath the lanterns, but fire crews say it is still to early to know the cause.
