Charcoal grill on balcony causes south Minneapolis apartment fire

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The Minneapolis Fire Department says a charcoal grill left burning on a second-floor balcony caused a fire that displaced at least ten people from a ten-unit apartment building.

Firefighters were called to the building at 2445 1st Avenue S., near the Minneapolis Institute of Art, at about 3:40 a.m. Wednesday. Crews laid lines to extinguish the fire and searched for trapped residents.

A second alarm was called at 3:58 a.m. for additional help and a third alarm was called at 4:50 a.m. for relief crews. All residents were able to escape the building.

Several residents were taken to the hospital for treatment of for minor injuries and smoke inhalation, and others were treated at the scene. The Red Cross is helping at least 10 adults displaced by the fire.

The cause of this fire has been ruled as accidental.