Press releases

Edina Fire Department responds to two weekend incidents

Edina, Minn., July 29, 2010 – The Edina Fire Department responded to two separate fire incidents, both potentially related to severe weather, in the early morning hours last weekend.

At approximately 2:40 a.m. on Saturday, July 24, residents of a home in the 5500 block of Vernon Avenue placed a 9-1-1 call, stating they had evacuated their home after smelling smoke in the basement. Upon arrival, fire crews discovered no signs of fire or smoke outside of the home. After entering, they encountered smoke in the basement near the home’s boiler. Thermal imaging cameras identified extreme heat in the electrical conduits near the boiler. Power was shut off to the home, and the conduits were cooled by emergency responders.

Upon further investigation, crews discovered a fallen tree resting on a power line in the home’s backyard. Investigators believe the damaged power line energized the “neutral” line in the home’s electrical system, causing a dangerous situation and extreme heat and smoke.

“We’ve seen situations like this before caused by downed power lines,” said Edina Fire Chief Marty Scheerer. “Luckily, the residents were home at the time and were able to call 9-1-1 before the incident caused too much damage.”

A few hours later, at approximately 4:20 a.m., a second call came in reporting smoke and flames coming from a home in the 3900 block of West 44th Street.

While en route to the fire, crews received reports that the home’s residents may have been inside. Firefighters immediately searched for occupants, but no one was found inside. It was later confirmed that the residents were out of town.

Fire and emergency crews entering the home were immediately met with thick smoke on two floors. A small fire was soon found burning through the floor in a bedroom and a bathroom on the 1st floor. Crews moved to the basement and began opening walls to find the source of the flames. They found fire moving up through the walls along plumbing and drain pipes, and continued to work into the morning to locate and extinguish the fire completely.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Neighbors reported hearing very loud thunder two to three hours before the fire was discovered. While there were no signs of a lightning strike visible outside of the home, it cannot be ruled out as a potential cause.

Fire crews from St Louis Park, Richfield and Eden Prairie, along with Hennepin County Paramedics also responded to the scene. For more information, visit www.CityofEdina.com/Fire or call the Edina Fire Department at 952-826-0330.