A 24-year-old woman died Saturday after fire broke out in her apartment kitchen on Fridley's north side, authorities said.

Investigators determined that the fire was an accident resulting from unattended cooking on a stove in the woman's third-floor unit, Fridley Assistant Fire Chief Matt Kohner said.

Other residents evacuated the building after fire broke out shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday, but no one else was injured, Kohner said.

Two Fridley police officers were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation after attempting to rescue the victim, and were later released.

Firefighters arrived at the complex, at 1619 73rd Av. NE., to find heavy smoke pouring from the third floor and residents going door to door to get people out of the building.

The officers were told that the woman was trapped in her apartment and went up to rescue her. But heavy black smoke forced them back.

"They were really in the thick of it," Fridley police Sgt. James Mork said.

Fire crews located the woman and pulled her from the building, Kohner said. Ambulance crews immediately began working on her, but she died later at Hennepin County Medical Center of burns and smoke inhalation.

The fire was contained to the kitchen, but there was smoke damage to the hallway and water damage in the apartment below, Kohner said.

Metro Transit directed buses to the scene to give shelter to residents stranded in the early morning cold. Most were able to return to the building by 8 a.m., and fire crews left the scene around 9 a.m.

Several departments came from neighboring cities to assist at the scene, including Columbia Heights, New Brighton, St. Anthony and Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View.

Kevin Duchschere • 612-270-1412