Residents Forced To Jump From Window To Escape Apartment Fire

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Two residents of a Farmington apartment were forced to jump from a second-story window after a fire started in the building during Sunday night's thunderstorms.

The fire started around 9:15 p.m. at a building on 303 Pine Street that holds four separate apartment units. The flames appear to have started in a stairwell, which blocked the exit to two of the units.

"There was only one way in, one way out, which is why we want people to have two ways to exit a building and have a plan before a fire happens," said Farmington Fire Chief Jim Larsen.

The two victims jumped out of the building through a window in the back before help arrived. They were quickly rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.

Residents in the other two units made it out safely.

A firefighter was also taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion. He was treated and released.

Investigators were on scene Monday to try to determine the cause of the fire.