Rochester Firefighters Fight Fire, Arctic Temperatures at Apartment Building

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Rochester Fire Department fought a fire that broke out at an apartment building in arctic temperatures Tuesday afternoon. 

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A news release says crews were dispatched to the fire shortly after 12:30 p.m. Crews found smoke coming from the building’s first floor and an evacuation in progress when they arrived. 

The fire broke out at the Andover Apartments at 1958 8 ½ St. Southeast. Firefighters determined the fire had started in a crawl underneath the building’s first floor. 

The location and spread of the fire, along with the near-zero temperatures made the fire difficult to extinguish, the news release says. Crews eventually overcame the difficult conditions and extinguished the blaze. 

A Mayo Clinic Ambulance crew responded to the fire, however no injuries were reported. A damage estimate is not yet available. 

There’s no word on any residents being displaced. The Rochester Police Department and American Red Cross also responded to the fire. 

No cause has been released, however the Rochester Fire Department used the response to remind the public of the dangers associated with using portable heaters to heat homes during cold snaps. 

The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office says 10% of house fires are started by portable heaters. 

Fire officials are reminding citizens to ensure portable heaters are at least three feet away from flammable materials, to turn off heaters when leaving a room or going to sleep, never use an oven to heat a home, have annual inspections of chimney’s and heating systems and to ensure wood-burning stoves are properly installed and ventilated. 

The news release says bitter cold temperatures make firefighting more difficult by causing hoselines to freeze solid, preventing small engines from working properly and locking up fire trucks.

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