Press releases

Edina Fire Department responds to basement fire

Edina, Minn., Feb. 25, 2010 – The Edina Fire Department quickly extinguished a basement fire that broke out in an Edina home.

Shortly before 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, Edina fire crews received a call reporting light smoke coming from the vents outside of a home on the 5000 block of 56th Street West.

Upon arrival, crews entered the home’s front door and were met with thick smoke, but no initial signs of fire. Firefighters then made their way to the back of the house and entered through a rear door and discovered fire in the basement. The fire was brought under control and extinguished quickly. Crews searching the first floor did discover fire coming through the floor in the home’s kitchen, but that was also quickly extinguished.

No one was home at the time of the fire, but firefighters did find two deceased dogs that likely had succumb to smoke inhalation. Two other dogs were found alive in the backyard.

Glass block windows in the home’s basement had to be broken out to help with ventilation, and fans were brought in to clear the smoke. The home did sustain some structural damage in the basement ceiling joist where the fire burned through to the first floor. Smoke damage is present throughout the home.

The cause of this fire is still under investigation, but investigators have not ruled out an electrical fire in a basement wall. A small refrigerator was plugged directly into a wall receptacle in the area of fire’s origin. The scene has been turned over to the homeowner’s insurance company for further investigation.

Crews from St. Louis Park, Richfield, Eden Prairie and Hopkins fire departments also responded along with Hennepin County Paramedics.

According to Edina Fire Marshal Tom Jenson, fire hydrants near the home were buried in snow, and crews had to dig them out before they could be used.

“It is very important for residents to shovel out hydrants on or near their property after every snowfall,” said Jenson. “During a fire, every second counts. We need to have these fire hydrants ready when we arrive on the scene.”

For more information, visit www.CityofEdina.com/Fire or call the Edina Fire Department at 952-826-0378.