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No More Supplies Needed For Those Affected By Downtown Minneapolis Fire

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Officials say no more supply donations are needed for those displaced by an early Christmas morning fire in downtown Minneapolis.

As of Wednesday evening, the fire continued to smolder at the Drake Hotel, on the 400 block of 10th Street South. About 250 people, many of them children, were forced to evacuate the building in the pre-dawn hours. Three people were hospitalized; no one was killed.

As crews battled the flames, Hennepin County Commissioner Angela Conley urged people to donate diapers, wipes, socks and mittens to the people affected. The call for action spread quickly on social media, and the corner of 9th Street and 4th Avenue filled with supplies.

By Wednesday afternoon, no more supplies were needed.

The American Red Cross is assisting those displaced by the fire. For the next few nights, they will be housed at Bethlehem Baptist. The Red Cross is taking donations to help the displaced residents.

Additionally, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says the Minneapolis Foundation has set up a fund specifically for the displaced families. Those who wish to donate can do so here.

The Drake Hotel offered rooms for rent and long-term apartments, primarily for families experiencing homelessness.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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