INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, Minn. — A fire at an apartment building in the 3100 block of 65th Street East sent a man to the hospital Thursday night, where authorities say he later died.
Inver Grove Heights Fire Department wrote in a social media post that the call came in at 10:43 p.m., and that they had reason to believe someone was trapped in the fire.
Police in the area reported that they saw smoke in the neighborhood around the fire. Heavy black smoke and flames were pouring from a balcony when firefighters arrived to the apartment. According to the Inver Grove Fire Department, crews fought through a hallway filled with smoke and had to force the door of the apartment open trying to rescue the person trapped inside. According to the department, the first fire crew found an adult man inside with injuries from the fire, and he was taken by ambulance to Regions Hospital. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The victim's identity has not been released.
Crews from South Metro, Mendota Heights, and Eagan assisted in the fire.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time, and is under investigation by the Inver Grove Heights Fire Marshal and the MN State Fire Marshall.