Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Not similar to 2010 Windom gas explosion, CenterPoint spokesperson claims.
Wednesday's large gas leak in Linden Hills wasn't caused by construction crews, as originally reported, but rather by the same conditions that cause potholes. Follow us on Facebook | Sign up for our free daily newsletter CenterPoint Energy spokesperson Becca Virden said the leak began around 12:30 p.m. when "weather related thawing and freezing" of the ground caused a six-inch gas main to shift and begin to leak. To prevent an accidental ignition of escaping gas, Minneapolis emergency personnel created an eight-block evacuation zone around the leak on the 4000 block of Xerxes Ave South, an area stretching from West 39th Street to West 42nd Street and from Upton Ave South to Zenith Ave South. Read our liveblog of the incident—mistakes and …
Friday, February 1, 2013
A firefighter explains what life is like as one of Minneapolis' Bravest.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Fire captain dishes on the stresses—and joys—of the job.
This week, thousands of people are likely to swarm Minneapolis' fire stations. Four days ago, the Minneapolis Fire Department started giving away applications to prospective recruits who want to join the department's first batch of new firefighters at any city fire station. In three days, from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, the department will start accepting applications in person at the city's armory at 1025 Broadway Street NE.* Interested in applying? Find details on the MFD's website . If past history is any guide, though, hopeful members of Minneapolis’ Bravest could swamp those stations soon. The last time the department hired new staff in 2006, said fire Captain Melanie Rucker, over 1,800 applied. Some applicants came as far away as California…
Friday, January 25, 2013
South Lyndale Ave greeted Friday morning with a depressing tableau.
The reek of smoke still hung in the air of South Lyndale Avenue Friday afternoon as rush hour traffic crept past the destroyed home of Beeks King of Pizza and Diamond Lake Rental. Thursday evening's fire had savaged the structure. The three billboards on top of the single-story building leaned inwards, while pipes and bits of collapsed ceiling hung n a tangled mess from the remaining walls, visible through the exploded windows. The rear part of the building, including the Beek's kitchen space, had collapsed in a pile of rubble. An oversized boxing glove lay on a window sill. When reached by phone, staff at Beek's St. Louis Park location said the businesses owners were not yet ready to speak to the public.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Eight homes lost in Dec. 28 blaze.
Uptown restaurant Amore Victoria is trying to help victims of Dec. 28's condo building fire on Lake Street, according to the Star-Tribune. The three-alarm fire cast eight families out of their homes in the brown-and-white stucco building next door to a Dunn Bros. coffee shop, and kitty-corner from Amore Victoria and fellow restaurant Barbette. We feel like we're a part of this community," said [restaurant co-owner] Jenna Victoria. "And being so close to that particular building made it feel that much more real. It really made us feel like we have to do it. We're all neighbors here. We knew many of them; they're our customers. And it's just something you do in a time of need. The Victoria family are offering free meals to the fire's victims…
Friday, December 28, 2012
The three-alarm fire was in a 100-year-old building; a preliminary cause has been identified.
A three-story building on West Lake Street was destroyed by fire Friday morning. When crews arrived, they found the building at the intersection of Lake and Irving Avenue South consumed by fire, WCCO-TV reported. A third alarm was called at 8:30 a.m., and while crews kept the blaze from spreading, they were not able to save the building. According to the Star-Tribune, the distinctive, white-and-brown building next to Dunn Bros. housed eight condos. The paper reports one resident was taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. There were no human fatalities, though Andrea Johnson, a first-floor resident, lost her cat in the blaze. The newspaper quotes Minneapolis fire officials saying that unattended candles were to blame for…
Sunday, October 14, 2012
2011 duplex fire killed 1.
Friday morning, two Minneapolis firefighters were awarded medals for going above and beyond the call of duty in rescuing three men from a burning duplex one year ago, according to KSTP. According to news reports at the time, firefighters arrived to find the building on the 3300 block of Bryant Avenue South ablaze all over. The fire started around 5:15 a.m. on the upper level of the building. While firefighters were trying to pull three men from the upper level, the blaze jumped to a building next door, forcing residents there to evacuate. News reports at the time said firefighters risked their lives to bring the three men out. In all, around 40 firefighters were called in to subdue the blaze. Of the three men living in the upper unit, …
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
City Council-commissioned study of the Minneapolis Fire Department greeted with fury.
According to the Star-Tribune, the union that represents Minneapolis Fire Department is reacting with anger to a new top-to-bottom study of the department. Commissioned by the City Council, the study was supposed to help the department figure out where the department should plant its feet after a rocky period where several city councilmembers suggested, during open council meetings, that firefighters were abusing sick time. Several years of cutbacks have created a situation where large numbers of sick firefighters one day threatens the fire department's response times—described as "excellent" in the study. Fast response times are particularly critical in medical cases, to which firefighters frequently respond. According to the study, sick …
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Fire contained to one unit by Minneapolis fire crews.
Monday night, residents of an apartment building on the 3500 block of Dupont Avenue were surprised by the smell of smoke wafting through their hallways. According to a written statement from Minneapolis Fire Marshal Perry Ebner emailed to reporters, fire crews were called to the scene at 9:21 p.m. When they arrived, they weren't able to see any fire apparent from the outside. However, residents told firefighters smoke seemed to be concentrated on the third floor. Discovering one unit on fire, crews evacuated the entire building and began attacking the flames. At 9:43, crews called a second alarm as a precaution against the fire spreading, Ebner wrote. Two other large apartment buildings in Minneapolis have burned down in recent months …
Monday, July 16, 2012
Thomas Beach was host to the Aquatennial's Beach Bash on Sunday
There wasn't much of a beach left at Lake Calhoun's Thomas Beach Sunday afternoon, as sand-castle builders and milk carton boat racers took over for the 2012 Aquatennial's Star-Tribune Beach Bash. Were you at the Beach Bash? Share your photos here!
James Sanna
9:30 pm on Saturday, January 26, 2013
Cynthia and Andy are right, John - MFD confirmed that all the animals there are ok, and spent the night in other shelters and clinics. (Good going to BCAH staff for managing that!) more ›