A man whose home caught fire over the weekend in south Minneapolis has died in what authorities said Wednesday was an accidental blaze because of smoking.
Flames and smoke brought firefighters to the 2 ½-story house about 5:35 a.m. Saturday in the 3400 block of S. Blaisdell Avenue, where they found the front porch fully ablaze, said Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker. The flames also burned the first and second floors, Rucker said.
Once the fire was under control, firefighters brought out a man from the second floor and started resuscitation efforts before he was taken by ambulance to HCMC, the assistant chief said.
Another resident was unharmed and was outside when firefighters arrived, she said.
"The victim that was rescued and transported to the local hospital succumbed to his injuries," Rucker said. "The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental due to smoking."
The man's name was not released.
One firefighter injured his ankle when he partly fell through a small hole burned through a floor. Two other firefighters were evaluated for exhaustion. All three firefighters were treated at HCMC.
Paul Walsh
