Fire and smoke caused the evacuation of a 40-unit family-oriented apartment building at 8001 12th Av. S. in Bloomington on Sunday morning and sent one person to Hennepin County Medical Center for smoke inhalation.

The fire started in the kitchen of one of the units on the north end of the building when water was thrown on a cooking grease spill, said Bloomington Fire Department commander Jim Ryan.

Grease spills should be smothered, not doused with water, he said.

The fire was contained to the one apartment and was out within about half an hour, but the building incurred significant smoke damage, Ryan said.

Residents were permitted back into the building Sunday night after a new fire detection system was installed and the fire department completed an inspection.

Metro Transit brought buses to the fire scene to give people shelter from the Sunday morning rainstorm.

The American Red Cross aided people who were ousted from their homes by the fire.

Before the city reopened the building about 12 to 13 families had expected to stay at a Red Cross shelter Sunday night, said Carrie Carlson-Guest, communications officer of the American Red Cross northern Minnesota region.

Laurie Blake • 952-746-3287