Around 90 apartment units damaged in large fire at St. Louis Park complex; 3 injured
Around 90 apartment units are damaged after a massive fire at a complex in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, on Friday, according to city officials.
Crews responded to a report of smoke at the Helix Apartments, located at 7500 Hwy. 7, at 4:47 p.m. Once at the scene, they saw a "working fire," officials said.
Flames were shooting out of the roof of the 167-unit complex early on Friday evening.
As of 8:30 p.m., the fire is under control, according to officials. Crews were working Friday night to extinguish hot spots and ensure there were no more flames. The cause is under investigation.
Roughly 20 "mutual aid fire departments" responded to the incident, according to the city.
Officials said one person was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening and two firefighters were treated at the scene for heat-related injuries.
"It is just a lot for me and scary," resident Jasmine Kellogg told WCCO on Friday evening.
Kellogg is a single mother with multiple sclerosis. She says the fire is a setback she doesn't know how she'll come back from.
"To know this was something we cherished, we worked hard for, and then it's gone. How do I tell my daughter her place is gone?" Kellogg said.
The Salvation Army has been called to help with displaced residents, though officials have yet to disclose how many. The American Red Cross said a temporary evacuation point was open on Friday night at The Ark Church on Quebec Avenue, where food and water were available.
The complex was built in 1985 and was "extensively renovated between 2020 and 2022," according to a news release discussing the sale of the Helix Apartments last year.
