A series of seven explosions at a South Minneapolis asphalt plant Friday night caused a three-alarm fire that took about 40 firefighters an hour to control and injured one, a Fire Department official said.
The call to Bituminous Roadways Inc., at 2825 Cedar Ave. S., just west of Hiawatha Avenue, came in at about 9:30 p.m.
The injured firefighter was taken to a hospital, with injuries not believed to be serious, said Fire Marshal Perry Ebner.
The explosions were caused by seven 20-pound propane cylinders, Ebner said.
There were workers on site at the time of the explosion, but no injuries were immediately reported, Ebner said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, including when the plant was last inspected, Ebner said.
Around 10:30 p.m., one rig was spraying a spot in the work yard and a group of overheated firefighters was trying to cool off on the curb.
Paramedics were assisting and police had cordoned off the block, which is bounded on the south by the Midtown Greenway bicycle and pedestrian trail.
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