MINNEAPOLIS — A number of small businesses and apartment residents are regrouping following a four-alarm fire that badly damaged four buildings in northeast Minneapolis Sunday evening.
Minneapolis Fire officials say engines were dispatched around 5 p.m. after a report of a building on fire at 2412 Central Ave NE. On arrival fire crews found flames extending from the 2nd floor.
The response was upgraded all the way to a 4th alarm after the fire jumped from 2412 Central Ave NE into buildings located at 2402 Central Ave NE, 2408 Central Ave NE and 2418 Central Ave NE. The fire raged for hours until firefighters were able to bring it under control.
The Northeast restaurant staple El Taco Riendo is in one of the buildings affected by the fire. On its Facebook page El Taco Riendo told customers to stay strong, and urged them to visit the new location in Crystal.
Minneapolis City Council member Kevin Reich was on scene for much of the night, and on social media lamented what he calls the loss of "some of our community’s most well-known and beloved independent family-owned businesses."
The Red Cross is assisting a number of residents who lived in the apartments above the ground floor businesses with food, clothing and shelter.
At this point investigators have not commented on a specific cause.