Firefighters Endure Bitter Cold & Ice Battling Oakdale Fire Overnight
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Firefighters had a challenging night in Oakdale, battling flames and subzero temperatures.
The call dispatched Oakdale Fire around 12:40 a.m., to a senior living community on Granada Avenue. Reports were that there was a fire on the roof of a townhome.
Oakdale Fire evacuated everyone in the unit and adjoining ones. In total, four units are damaged and uninhabitable. One person went to the hospital for an evaluation, but everyone is expected to be okay, as those displaced are staying with family nearby.
For firefighters, the cold and ice proved just as challenging as the fire itself.
"We did have a little problem with water," Oakdale Fire Chief Jeff Anderson said. "Some hydrant froze up on us. We were able to get it going and get some water out of it to knock down the fire, but it created part of the problem you see in the street out here."
The street had several slick spots from the hydrant's water freezing.
Chief Anderson also said his department immediately called for help protecting firefighters from the cold. A city bus went to the scene to help them warm up.
