ROSEVILLE, Minn. -- As many as 100 residents of an apartment building in Roseville are scrambling to find alternative shelter after fire, smoke and water damaged their units Tuesday night.
Seventy-five to 100 tenants were evacuated at the Centennial Commons apartment building, located near Pascal Street North and Terrace Drive. The building is part of a multiple apartment building complex.
A resident called 911 around 7:40 p.m. Tuesday. The fire started in an apartment on the second floor, but quickly jumped up to the third floor and onto the roof.
At least one resident had to be rescued from a second floor balcony after becoming trapped. Others reportedly jumped from their apartment windows to escape the flames.
The first fire crews on the scene encountered heavy black smoke, zero visibility and extreme heat that pushed them back in their initial attack.
Crews were quickly called in from Lake Johanna, Little Canada, New Brighton, St. Anthony, and Maplewood Fire Departments due to the size and scope of the blaze. The team worked for more than four and a half hours to put the flames down and do mop-up work.
All 24 units of the building have been deemed uninhabitable due to damage from fire, smoke and water and initial loss estimates are estimated at $1.3 million dollars.
The American Red Cross is assisting six families following the fire.
The Pioneer Press reports that the apartments were built in the 1960s and had no sprinklers in the building.
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