Short in wire caused Burnsville fire

Ventilation shafts fueled the flames that left nearly 200 people homeless; what caused the wire to short is unknown.

By KATIE HUMPHREY, Star Tribune

Last update: December 31, 2008 - 10:57 PM

The fire at a Burnsville apartment complex that left nearly 200 people homeless just days before Christmas was triggered when a wire leading to a third-floor laundry-room dryer shorted in the second-floor wall.

Burnsville Fire Marshal Doug Nelson said investigators pinpointed the approximately 18-inch piece of wire as the fire's origin after removing some debris on Wednesday afternoon. They do not, however, know what caused the wire to short and will continue to examine it.

"We're very happy that we have a conclusion to this investigation," Nelson said, standing in front of the ice-coated shell of Building A at the Burncliff Apartments on Parkwood Drive near Hwy. 13.

The announcement ended speculation about the fire and brought good news for some former residents. Most of the tenants of the first- and second-floor apartments will be allowed to return, by appointment, to retrieve some of their belongings. The building had previously been thought to be a total loss.

The blaze on Dec. 22 left nearly 200 people homeless and sent those of another apartment building scurrying for shelter on a night when temperatures dipped below zero. It took 144 firefighters from multiple departments more than seven hours to extinguish the blaze, which was first reported as smoke in the third-floor laundry room at 3:55 p.m.

Nelson said that firefighters who first arrived on the scene went to the third-floor laundry room and saw smoke but felt little heat and saw no fire. Firefighters then went to the second-floor laundry room, where they saw smoke and felt more heat. They doused that area with water and believed the fire had been extinguished, not knowing that it was lurking in the wall, Nelson said.

But ventilation shafts near the laundry room that run from the first floor to the top of the building fueled the flames inside the walls and the blaze spread rapidly to the third floor and roof, Nelson said.

No one was hurt in the blaze, and investigators were first able to enter the building on Dec. 23 to try to determine the cause.

"In this kind of weather, it was a time-consuming process," Nelson said.

Residents have said they noticed signs of malfunctioning electrical circuits in the building's recently remodeled laundry rooms before the fire. Nelson said Wednesday that the problem wire was on a 240 volt circuit that led to a third-floor laundry-room dryer. It was not related to recently installed pop machines or the washing machines. The wire has been part of the building since it was constructed in 1969, he said.

Investigators also reviewed the wiring in Building B, another building at the complex that was threatened by the fire but did not burn. Nelson said there is no reason to be concerned about fire safety in that building.

Frank French, chief operating officer of the Goodman Group, which owns and manages the property, said residents of all first-floor apartments and most second-floor apartments will be able to retrieve their belongings by appointment starting on Jan. 7. But the third floor and apartments 212 and 214 on the second floor are inaccessible, he said.

Residents of Building A will also be receiving another check when they return to the complex, with the amount yet to be determined, from monetary donations to a fund that has been set up at U.S. Bank. That check will add to the flood of donations that came from the community immediately after the fire, including an anonymous $1 million donation that was divvied up among the tenants on Christmas Eve.

Residents can call 952-890-2629 during business hours on Monday and Tuesday to make appointments to pick up property and checks.

Katie Humphrey • 952-882-9056

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