Minneapolis fire officials say that two people injured separate fires earlier this month have died.
A 79-year-old man who was in serious condition after being rescued from a south Minneapolis house fire on June 9 is one of the deceased. The other victim, a painting contractor found unconscious with severe burn injuries near a triplex fire on June 15, has also died.
Their deaths mark the seventh and eighth fire fatalities of the year.
Melanie Rucker, the Minneapolis Fire Department's Assistant Chief of Administration, said people should check their smoke detectors and be extra careful.
"Take extra precaution if necessary and call us immediately if you notice anything," Rucker said. "We'd rather err on the safe side and it be nothing than it be something much larger that lead to serious injuries or more."
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner is expected to release the names of those victims in the coming week.
