MINNEAPOLIS — A vacant home caught fire on Thursday and took several hours for firefighters to put out and the cold created problems for first responders.
Just before 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, a fire was reported on the 800 block of 6th Street SE in Minneapolis. When crews arrived, firefighters said they saw flames coming out of the second-story window.
They worked for several hours battling the flames and had to go on the “defense” multiple times, according to Minneapolis Battalion Chief Joe Lompart. Luckily, the home was vacant and no one was hurt.
“The crews did a tremendous job dealing with the cold, dealing with the ice. They worked hard on this fire,” Lompart said.
The cold weather impacted not only the firefighters but also their equipment.
He hopes people will be mindful going into the cold stretch of negative temperatures. Here's some advice from firefighters on how to warm... and safe.
- Do not use a stove to warm your house
- Make sure your fire and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly
- Be careful with extension cords and old electric outlets
- Keep an eye on portable heaters.
This is Minnesota’s first winter with a new law for landlords. They must keep systems they control at a minimum of 68 degrees between October and April.
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