1st Day Back After A Year, 2 Firefighters Fight 2 Fires

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Two firefighters wounded in duty a year ago returned to work Saturday and battled two fires in North Minneapolis.

Capt. Dennis Mack and firefighter Jacob LaFerriere were both injured in a Northeast Minneapolis fire on July 3, 2010. It was Mack's first full day back to work Saturday when both he and LaFerriere together had run-ins with house fires that evening.

Mack and LaFerriere's fellow firefighters were glad to see them working again.

"Some firefighters spend what seems to be an eternity waiting for their first fire after a significant incident; that was not the case for Capt. Mack yesterday," said Fire Chief Alex Jackson. "This has been a long recovery process for both these firefighters. We are just as happy to have them back as they are to be back."

The first fire of Saturday night occurred at a two-story townhouse, located at the 1800 block of 3rd Street Northeast, at 6:04 p.m. When firefighters arrived at the house, they found fire climbing up the back of the house from the deck. The fire spread upwards to the first floor, second floor and the attic.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the unit of origin, and no other townhomes were damaged. Firefighters said a propane tank was on the deck at the time of the fire.

Two people were displaced as a result of the fire, but no one was hurt. The fire is still under investigation.

The second fire of the night started in the basement of a one-and-a-half story home, located on the 4000 block of Sheridan Avenue North, at 10:52 p.m. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found smoke rising from the building. They conducted an interior fire attacked and put out the fire that the house's occupants reported. No one was injured.

As a result of this fire, two adults and one child were displaced. The fire is still under investigation.