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St. Paul Firefighter Falls Down Elevator Shaft at Brewery Fire
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cites Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cites Fire Wire Photo
June 21 – A St. Paul firefighter suffered minor injuries after falling down an elevator shaft at Stroh’s Brewery on Tuesday night. He was battling one of two fires in the vacant complex.
Fire crews were called to the complex, at 707 E. Minnehaha Ave., just before 9 p.m. for a lightning strike with smoke showing from the complex.
Engine 4 arrived to find smoke showing from a two-story building on the Southwest side of the facility. Firefighters found rubbish burning and quickly contained the smoky fire.
Shortly after that was knocked down, crews found smoke coming from a four-story building across the alley, Chief Tim Butler told Twin Cities Fire Wire.
Command requested two additional engines to assist with water supply and additional personnel. Crews had to stretch several hundred feet of hose from the street to the fire buildings.
When crews forced their way inside the building, they found heavy smoke on all floors. Crews began opening up the building from the exterior to perform ventilation.
As firefighters searched for the seat of the fire a veteran firefighter fell about 15 feet down an elevator shaft.
He was removed from the shaft and was examined at the scene. He suffered minor cuts and bruises and was taken to the hospital for further examination.
“We were very lucky tonight,” Butler said after the fire was out. “This could have been a whole lot worse.”
Firefighters continued to search for the fire. It was located in the basement and was brought under control.
As heavy rain pushed through the metro area, St. Paul firefighters packed up several hundred feet of hose while the other crews evacuated the smoke from the building.
Crews remained on scene until 11 p.m. and investigators are looking into the cause of the fires.
St. Paul firefighters battled a fire on the roof of Stroh’s on June 9.
- Assignment: Engine 4, 7, 22, Ladder 7, Squad 1, Chief 3. RIT Assignment: Engine 8/Medic 8, Ladder 18, Squad 3, Medic 18, Ladder 8. Special Called: Engines 15 and 24 and Ladder 10 with the Air Trailer
Fire Consumes Bloomington Garage
May 25 – Fire destroyed a large garage in Bloomington last week.
The call was received at 9:30 p.m. for a garage fire at West 110th Street and Johnson Avenue South.
Engine 2 was first to arrive and found heavy fire showing from the four-stall garage. Firefighters deployed a pre-connected 1 3/4-inch hoseline and protected a home on the B-side that was in close proximity.
“The fire was well advanced upon our arrival and all operations were conducted from the exterior of the garage due to the failure of the roof, ” Assistant Fire Chief Jay Forster told Twin Cities Fire Wire.
The crew from Engine 5 supplied Engine 2 with water and stretched a second hoseline to attack the fire.
Chief 2 assumed command and assigned Chief 5 to Division C and Chief 3 as the Safety Officer.
“Due to all the contents in the garage it was quite labor intensive getting the fire out,” Forster said. “We ended up using a good amount of class A foam.”
As the fire was knocked down, crews from additional units were assigned to clear debris from the garage and overhaul.
One firefighter suffered a minor eye injury and the homeowner was treated for a hand injury.
The garage was a total loss and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
- Assignment: Engines 2, 4 and 5, Ladders 2, 4 and 5, Chiefs 2, 3 and 5
Minneapolis Firefighter Suffers Minor Injuries in Fall from Roof
May 4 – A Minneapolis firefighter suffered minor injuries after falling from a ladder while checking for extension at a fire early Wednesday morning.
Crews were called to a fire at a used car dealership in the 2600 block of West Broadway around 12:15 a.m.
They found several vehicles burning in the lot when they arrived.
Firefighters contained the fire before it spread to the one-story office building, according to Assistant Chief Dave DeWall.
As firefighters were checking for extension, a firefighter began climbing a ground ladder to the roof of the building when it started to slide down the building.
The firefighter fell about 10 feet and rode the ladder most of the way. Video from WCCO-TV shows the firefighter falling.
He walked to the ambulance and North Memorial EMS crews transported him. He was examined at the hospital and he suffered a few cuts and bruises.
“He did not sustain any injuries that kept him from returning to duty. ” DeWall said. He returned to duty before the shift was over.
Woman Dies in Edina House Fire
April 18 – One woman died in an early-morning house fire in Edina Monday.
Firefighters were called to 5300 block of Oaklawn Avenue around 5 a.m.
“Crews arrived within minutes to discover heavy smoke and flames from the north side of the home,” KSTP-TV reported.
The fire reached three alarms, bringing firefighters from Blooomington, Eden Prarie and Richfield to the scene for assistance.
KARE-TV reported that the fire was likely burning for over an hour before firefighter’s were called to the scene.
Four firefighters were treated at the scene for minor injuries, Hennepin EMS spokesman Christopher Kummer told Twin Cities Fire Wire.
Related:
Fire at Maplewood Apartment Building
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Several fire departments are at the scene of an apartment fire in Maplewood on Saturday evening.
Maplewood Fire crews were called about 9:15 p.m. to the Maplewood Gardens Apartments on McKnight Road South.
Tanker 4 arrived to find smoke from the two-story, multi-unit apartment building.
Mutual aid was called from Woodbury, Oakdale and St. Paul fire departments.
Reports from the scene indicated that a firefighter was injured and transported, but no additional details are available at this time.
TwinCitiesFireWire.com will update the story when additional details are available.
Plymouth Fire Consumes 2 Dozen Apartments
Dozens of residents were displaced after a fire-alarm fire ripped through a Plymouth apartment complex on Monday evening. Two residents and one firefighter suffered minor injuries.
Reported about 4:50 p.m., the fire consumed 24 apartments of the Plymouth Oaks Apartments at 3301 Highway 169. About 50 firefighters from 10 departments responded to bring the fire under control.
Plymouth Deputy Fire Chief Kip Springer told local media that it appears that the fire started on the third floor of the three-story building and that all residents escaped safely.
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Crews rescued several pets from the building.
The fire quickly spread through the top floor of the building and consumed the attic.
At least one aerial ladder was flowing a master stream and several hoselines surrounding the building poured water on to the flames.
“As late as 9 p.m., firefighters on extended ladders continued to pour water into hot spots on the blackened skeletal roof line in the middle section of the southwest wing of the L-shaped building, where the fire was concentrated,” the Star Tribune reported.
Deputy Chief Kip told the Star Tribune that investigators will be on the scene of an extended period of time. The paper also reports that complex staff has assisted the residents find shelter this evening.
Mutual aid was received from Brooklyn Park, Excelsior, Hamel, Minnetonka, Rogers, Wayzata and West Metro, according to local media.
KSTP-TV reports that a fire in July 2007 caused $4 million in damage to one building in the complex. Another fire, in February 2008, left 30 units damaged.
Related:
St. Paul Firefighters Battle Stubborn House Fire
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
An update from Tuesday morning’s fire in Highland: Crews Battle St. Paul House Fire, Firefighter Injured
St. Paul firefighters battled a stubborn blaze in a Highland home on Tuesday morning.
Units were alerted for a dryer fire in the 1500 block of Eleanor Avenue about 10:15 a.m.
Squad 2 arrived to find light smoke from the garage door of the two-story home. The basement was partially below grade.
A line was stretched by Squad 2 through the garage into the basement. Engine 10 pulled a back up line as they two crews tried to find the fire. They encountered heavy smoke and high heat, but couldn’t find the seat of the fire.
Engine 18 pulled another line to assist crews as the fire grew rapidly and spread from the basement to the first floor.
Chief 1 pulled all crews from the structure as conditions began to deteriorate.
Ladder 18’s crews utilized portable ladders to cut several ventilation holes in the roof.
Firefighters positioned several handlines to knock down the heavy body of fire in the basement from the exterior. The fire had spread from the basement to the first floor and into the roof space.
The fire was placed under control in about an hour.
When crews reentered the structure to douse hot spots, they reported that the first floor was sagging.
One firefighter suffered minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital by Medic 23.
Ladder 20 was called to the scene about 1 p.m. to assist fire investigation crews.
- Assignment: Engines 10, 5 and 18, Ladder 10, Squad 2, Chief 1 and Medic 5. RIT Assignment: Engine 8, Ladder 18, Squad 1, Medic 8 and Chief 2. Additional units: Medic 23 and Ladder 20.
Related Article:
Crews Battle St. Paul House Fire, Firefighter Injured
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
St. Paul firefighters are still on the scene of the house fire in the Highland neighborhood.
About 10:15, units were called for a dryer fire in the 1500 block of Eleanor Ave.
Firefighters arrived to find smoke showing. As they searched for fire inside the two-story home, they encountered fast spreading fire.
Crews were pulled out as fire was on both floors and found in several voids.
One firefighter was injured while operating at the fire. The extent of injuries are unknown at this time.
Twin Cities Fire Wire.com will update the story and add additional photos later today.
Firefighter Injured in New Brighton Fire
A firefighter was injured while battling a New Brighton house fire early Friday morning.
The fire, in the 700 block of 1st Ave. NW, was reported about 3 a.m. The arrive to find the top floor of the two-story home fully involved, KARE11 is reporting.
According to KARE 11, “One firefighter was injured as a result of the deep snow surrounding the residence. ”
Three residents were able to the fire with minor injuries.
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