Minneapolis apartment fire displaces nearly 2 dozen residents

New video shows the race to rescue residents from a burning three-story apartment building Wednesday in north Minneapolis.

Neighbors say they called 911 after watching fire engulf the building off North Thomas Avenue North and Golden Valley Road.  

"Flames shooting up in the sky," said neighbor Dion Harris. "The building had been burning for 15 minutes before fire department had been notified."

Crews arrived and immediately began the work of knocking down the fire and saving lives.    

"If you can imagine a fire company rolling up on this. You have fire and heavy smoke rolling from the second floor. On the third floor, you have multiple victims waving for help," said Minneapolis Fire Department Deputy Chief JR Klepp. "It's one of the most difficult things to do, carrying an unconscious patient down from the third floor."  

Neighbors watched as ladder crews worked to get one resident to safety. 

"It took two ladder companies, two strong firefighters brought him down the ladder," Klepp said. "All Minnesotans know you got snow and ice on the ground, so everyone else had to hold the ladder supporting them with three grown individuals coming down those ladders, one of whom was unconscious."

All residents made it safely out of the building, including two cats and two dogs. The fire was contained to the second and third floor, with damage extensive towards the back of the building.

Resident Dennis Henderson says he got a call while at the doctor's office, and ran home to see his apartment destroyed. 

"I didn't believe it at first. I thought it was a little bitty fire, but when I got here it was all burned up," Henderson said.

Now he and the other 21 residents here will rely on help from the American Red Cross to help pick up the pieces.

Authorities have not yet figured out how that fire started.