A pre-dawn blaze in a Minneapolis home left five people dead, including at least three children on Friday. A neighbor described how a young family of eight living in the upstairs unit screamed for help as firefighters tried to rescue them..
Minneapolis firefighters responded to a fire at a 2.5-story duplex at 2818 Colfax Avenue North. The duplex was residence for 15 people.
Firefighters arrived seeing smoke showing and getting reports that children were still inside. Soon the fire vented out the A-D side. Three victims were found at the back of the duplex house. The fire response was elevated to a 3rd alarm (40 firefighters). When it was over five children were dead, and two were in critical condition. The children’s father was in Hennepin County Medical Center after transport from the scene, and was upgraded from serious to satisfactory condition. One firefighter was injured with a muscle strain.
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The children’s mother died in November 2013 after a heart-related illness.
The exterior and interior of the building were last inspected in July 2013, with numerous violations found, including a smoke detector that needed to be repaired
The duplex is licensed for two dwellings and four bedrooms total, according to city property records. Those records show that following an inspection in 2009 the building’s owner agreed to fix numerous fire safety hazards, including installing or replacing missing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors throughout the building, and to cap a gas line. Those repairs had to be completed by March 2010.
See also …
StarTribune | Minneapolis 5 siblings dead in predawn north Minneapolis duplex fire
Pioneer Press TwinCities.com Minneapolis: 5 children killed, 2 critically injured in duplex fire
