5 alarm apt fire, 2 firefighterers trapped.

[rwo978]

Had to leave the station because I got dispatched for mutal aid. :roll: Helped with watching a couple miles worth of caution tape, people were wandering all over the place originally. I was monitoring the radio from the beginning, it was eerie hearing that 'firefighters trapped' and "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY."


I got a couple cell pics from the west side right out in front. The pic here shows the east side facing west.


Flames could be seen for miles, stretching nearlydouble the height of the building.


http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/294433/


[Broken External Image]:http://www.inforum.com/media/full/jpg/2010/10/11/fire.jpg

UPDATED: Crews still working fire at south Fargo apartment building
UPDATED: 8:22 p.m. FARGO - By: Forum staff reports, INFORUM


Authorities from around the metro area are still working to distinguish a massive fire that broke out at a south Fargo apartment building this evening.


The five-alarm fire at the Galleria On 42nd, off 42nd Street and 37th Avenue South, drew dozens of area firefighters to the scene. Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo departments were among those to respond, said Jesse Schmidt, public relations officer for the Fargo Fire Department.


The building has 150 tenants in its 62 units. The complex is pet-friendly.


Spectators gathered in the surrounding area to witness the blaze, which one Cass County deputy said was the largest fire he'd seen in his 20-year career.


Flames were still visible in parts of the building, as of about 8:15 p.m.


According to Fargo Fire Marshal Norman Scott:


The fire is believed to have started shortly before 6 p.m. in the center of the first floor of the three-story building.


The blaze escalated upward and, once it hit the attic, began spreading throughout building's uppermost level.


There was a collapse on the third floor and two firefighters were trapped at one point. However, they were rescued safely and are not injured.


Crews are hoping to enter the building soon to rescue any pets.


The Red Cross is working to send displaced residents to a shelter that's being set up for them tonight, and Salvation Army volunteers are assisting firefighters with hydration and food.


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Stay tuned to INFORUM for updates on this story, and pick up Tuesday's edition of The Forum for full coverage.

 

[Mike L.]

Glad to hear the FF's are ok and that no one was injured. First time I ever seen a media source state that a burning apartment building was pet friendly.

 

[rwo978]

Vids already popping up on Youtube.

 

[CrownVic97]

Holy crud! That's terrible! Good thing the FFs are okay, but those people don't have a home anymore. I hope they get all they help they need right now...


I didn't even think have my home-base scanner on this evening. I would have heard all that commotion as soon as it happened. Thanks for sharing this, Ryan. After seeing those vids, I'm glad no one was hurt or killed.

 

[rwo978]

It's amazing no one was injured in this fire, including the firemen that were trapped. Also, most pets are accounted for.


http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/294497/

Published October 12 2010

FIRE UPDATE: Firefighters still knocking down hot spots at apartment; tenants may be allowed back in later today or Wednesday


By: Mike Nowatzki, INFORUM


Some of the 150 tenants left homeless when fire severely damaged the Galleria On 42nd apartment building in south Fargo Monday night could be allowed back into their apartments late today or Wednesday to retrieve belongings, Assistant Fargo Fire Chief Larry Schuh said this morning.


Firefighters remained on the scene this morning and will likely be there all day to knock down hot spots in the 62-unit building, Schuh said.


Fire investigators returned at daybreak to continue searching for the cause of the fire, which Fargo Fire Marshal Norman Scott said is believed to have started shortly before 6 p.m. in the center of the first floor of the three-story building at 3700 42nd St. S.


No tenants were injured in the blaze. Firefighters haven’t found any pets that perished in the pet-friendly building, but they were still looking for one dog, Schuh said.


Tenants of the 62-unit building could be allowed to return as early as late today to retrieve belongings, but it more likely will be Wednesday, Schuh said.


“It’s obviously going to be awhile,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure we’ve got all the hot spots down and that it’s going to be safe to let everybody come back in there,” he said, adding building security also will need to be present because firefighters had to force open many doors during the search and firefight.


Complicating the situation is that part of the roof collapsed onto the third floor, although the building remains structurally sound, Schuh said. The first two floors weren’t damaged by fire but did sustain water damage, he said.

 

[rwo978]

I was emailed this... Not sure who took it or where it showed up at.