Residents of 13 homes around a warehouse fire near downtown Albert Lea, Minn., were evacuated late Thursday because of heavy smoke, police said.
During the peak of the fire, flames shot from the commercial structure at 601 W. Main St. Firefighters from Albert Lea, Austin and Glenville were on the scene, and Freeborn County emergency officials were assisting, Albert Lea police said on their Facebook page.
Homes on the north and south sides of College Street and on the south side of Main Street were evacuated as winds carried heavy smoke to those areas. Authorities asked people to avoid the area and said displaced residents were being sheltered at a Methodist church in the area.
There were no reports of injuries. Just after 10 p.m., the fire was contained, according to the Albert Lea Tribune.
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