U.S.

Blast, Fire At Minneapolis Apartment Building

A three-alarm fire is raging at a three-story building in Minneapolis. Multiple injuries are reported.

Blast, Fire At Minneapolis Apartment Building
KARE
SMS

A reported blast and big fire at an apartment building in Minneapolis on New Year's Day.

"A raging fire and quite a bit of smoke going from a three-story apartment building. 35W and Hiawatha is the traffic camera we're looking at live."

"It's a very busy area, heavily populated. ... Cedar is blocked off near 94 and Riverside because of a large explosion and now a large fire. We have crews on the scene. We're getting more information."

CNN is reporting multiple people have been sent to area hospitals. It's unclear exactly how many at this time, or if there were any fatalities.

As of about 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, local station KARE was reporting at least 13 people were hospitalized — and said injuries included burns and trauma suffered from people jumping or falling out of windows.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported several people were critically injured.

It does seem, though, that everyone believed to be in the building has been accounted for. The building's main floor reportedly housed a grocery store, while the upper two floors were apartments. 

The fire was labeled a three alarm, and WCCO reports the frigid conditions are making it difficult to put out.

The cause of the fire is so far unknown.