Firefighters Battle Extreme Heat In 2 Minneapolis House Fires

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Saturday's hot weather took a toll on fire crews in Minneapolis.

Firefighters with the Minneapolis Fire Department took extra caution while battling a duplex fire on the 3200 block of Colfax Ave S. at about 3:15 p.m. Fire officials say four firefighters were injured at the scene, three from heat exhaustion and one suffered an electric shock. Some firefighters had to be given extra fluids through an IV.

The deputy chief on the scene said the fire likely started outside on the back porch, but quickly spread through the walls and into the attic. The same firefighters responded to another house fire Saturday morning that left seven people without a home.

Spending hours in the extreme heat means the firefighters have to watch out for each other.

"It's just incredibly hot. The heat, the sun, the warm breeze, it's really nothing helping these firefighters to do their job or make it easier," resident Jol Arroyo said. "I feel sorry for them. It's just overwhelming the hard work that they do and the heat they're enduring. They're heroes."

"It's the dew point and the humidity. The heat you can kind of take, but when you come out and try to recover it's tough," Deputy Chief Mike Dickinson said.

Dickinson said between 12 and 15 fire crews were at the scene battling the fire.

The causes of both fires are still being investigated. No civilians were hurt in either blaze.