Crime & Safety

Sprinklers Extinguish Apartment Fire Before Department Arrives

Five apartments of a 146-unit building sustained damage during the Sunday, Feb. 17, fire.

A kitchen fire in the 5200 block of Vernon Avenue Sunday night, Feb. 17, injured two residents and damaged five apartments.

The Edina Fire Department was dispatched to the apartment fire at approximately 6:15 p.m. Sunday, arriving to find a fire on the stovetop of a first-floor unit had already been extinguished by the building's sprinkler system.

One unit in the building suffered fire and smoke damage, though four others sustained water damage from the sprinklers. The City of Edina reports two residents of the 146-unit building were taken to Fairview Southdale Hospital for smoke inhalation.

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“The building’s sprinklers saved countless lives and property,” Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Todd said. “This really shows the impact sprinklers have on fires by keeping it from spreading to other units. Had the building not been sprinkled, the fire could have spread quickly, endangering lives.” 

The specific cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to the Edina Fire Department. Evacuated residents were allowed to return to their apartments after the all-clear was given by the department.

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