Minneapolis firefighters battled fire and extreme weather on the night of Monday, Aug. 9, 2010 as a blaze consumed the cockloft space of a two-story apartment building in the Carag neighborhood.
The fire, at 3452 Byrant Ave. South, was reported at 7:42 p.m. as smoke seen coming from an apartment building. As first alarm companies were en route, additional calls reported smoke from the attic of the structure.
Chief 2 arrived minutes later to find smoke from the two-story apartment building. As crews entered the structure they found heavy fire conditions in the attic. Companies attempted to knock down the fire from the second floor and a second alarm was called.
The crew of Ladder 11 performed vertical ventilation as crews continued to open up the ceilings on the second floor to knock down the heavy fire conditions.
A third alarm was struck at 8:30 p.m. “We called the third alarm because of the heat and humidity,” Assistant Chief Cherie Penn said. “The crews had a lot of work to do.”
The fire was declared under control at 9:44 p.m. A total of 40 firefighters staffing six engines, two trucks, two rescues and several chief and support vehicles responded.
Penn said one firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and was treated and released.
Three residents were displaced due to the fire which, according to Penn, “is accidental due to electrical malfunction in the attic space.”
