Editor's note: This story was originally published on Aug. 14, before any fatalities were known, and was updated on Aug. 16 with the latest information from the Minneapolis Fire Department.
The bodies of two victims were discovered in the rubble of a four-story Elliot Park apartment building more than a day after a large fire broke out.
Fire crews arrived at Stadium Place, located at 1501 11th Ave. S, just before 9:45 p.m. Tuesday to find heavy smoke coming from the third floor and heavy fire throughout the entire rear stairwell, according to the Minneapolis Fire Department.
Twenty-seven residents were evacuated or rescued from the 22-unit building. Three people, including a teenager, suffered burns and a fourth had smoke inhalation.
The Minneapolis Fire Department conducted a search of the building after the property manager told fire officials Thursday morning that one resident was still unaccounted for from the fire. Crews then found the body of an adult man buried under debris of the collapsed roof in his fourth-floor apartment. The body of an adult woman was found in the same unit as the search continued Thursday.
The names of the two victims haven't yet been released. They represent the second and third fire fatalities this year in Minneapolis.
Stadium Place's property manager, David Hollmon, told WCCO that fire officials told him that crews had swept the building twice before they re-entered Thursday to search for the missing tenant.
Fire crews returned to the building Friday morning with cadaver dogs and didn't find any other victims, Minneapolis Fire Chief Bryan Tyner announced during a press conference Friday afternoon.
As the fire tore through the building Tuesday night, firefighters were unable to complete a search of the fourth floor "due to the volume of fire in the building and the indications of imminent roof collapse," Tyner said. He expressed support for the incident commander's call to switch from a "offensive attack strategy" from inside the building to a "defensive attack strategy" outside of the building.
"It's an incredibly difficult decision to make," Tyner said. "But if he had not [made that decision], we would likely be here talking about deceased firefighters in addition to the tragic loss of these two victims."
See video from the Friday press conference in our Instagram update on the fire.
The Minnesota Red Cross is helping people who were displaced with immediate shelter and food needs, but some residents lost all of their belongings, including prized possessions that can’t easily be replaced.
Elliot Park resident Grant Simons was on site during the blaze and live-tweeted photos, videos, and commentary on X. He overheard one resident lament leaving behind his pair of AE 1’s, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards’ signature Adidas shoe.
Stadium Place resident Nick Metcalf launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover medical bills for Coco, his family’s brown Labrador, which was rescued from the building.
Downtown Voices contributor H. Jiahong Pan is keeping track of displaced residents who are looking for support.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated. Minneapolis Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker told the Star Tribune that someone initially reported to emergency dispatch that the fire was intentionally started.
Firefighters were still on the scene around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, hours after the fire was extinguished.
“Because of the fire spreading through the roof and partial roof collapse, there are void spaces where fire is lingering that we are continuing to put water on to extinguish,” Rucker told MPR News.
Rucker did not respond to a request for comment from Downtown Voices on Wednesday.
