Before sunrise on Saturday, nearly 50 firefighters packed into the 2500 block of 16th Avenue South in Minneapolis, battling a stubborn multi‑unit building fire as the temperature plunged below zero. The blaze was reported around 5:15 a.m., and crews quickly found flames in the ceiling of one unit and running along the roofline, prompting an evacuation of a nearby building as a precaution.
By about 8 a.m., the Minneapolis Fire Department had declared the originating building uninhabitable. Roughly 10 people and one dog were displaced, and a bus was pulled up to the curb so residents had somewhere warm to wait while firefighters kept at it.
According to KSTP, nearly 50 firefighters were on scene, and the fire was not fully extinguished as of 8 a.m. The station also reported that the nearby building, though evacuated, did not sustain damage, and that the American Red Cross was called in to help the people who were forced out.
Cold Weather Complicates The Fight
Sub‑zero conditions do not just make things miserable. They make them dangerous. Hydrants and hoselines can freeze, ladders and walkways can turn slick with ice, and wet gear can become a fast track to frostbite. As outlined by Fire Engineering, winter incidents often require extra staffing, constant water movement through lines, and dedicated heated rehab areas so crews can warm up between attacks.
Shelter And Assistance
On 16th Avenue South, the bus served as a rolling waiting room while relief agencies worked to line up longer‑term shelter for residents who could not go back home. The Minnesota and Dakotas region of the Red Cross has been mobilizing during recent winter storms to provide shelter and basic support, according to the American Red Cross.
Other Recent Local Fires
This latest blaze is part of a run of winter fires in south Minneapolis. On January 5, a fire on the 2500 block of Portland Avenue South displaced 17 adults and seven children and drew roughly 50 firefighters, according to Fox 9. Those back‑to‑back calls have tested the city’s cold‑weather response and put a spotlight on the vulnerabilities of older, multi‑unit buildings when temperatures dive…