At approx. 11:30 PM Sunday April 21st, 2013 Sioux Falls Fire Rescue was dispatched to a reported structure fire at W. 16th St. and S. Minnesota Ave.  Fire Rescue received reports of a large fire with possibly eight people in the structure trying to exit.

Fire crews encountered heavy fire inside of the structure along with energized power lines on fire attached to the house causing extensive electrical arcing. The fire had already spread to the second floor and attic area of the structure as crews searched the apartments for victims and attempted to extinguish the fire. Firefighters were eventually forced out of the structure by the intensity of the fire.

The fire was extinguished in approx. 45 minutes.

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation by Sioux Falls Fire Rescue and Sioux Falls Police Department.

The structure suffered severe fire and water damage and did not have a Fire Suppression Sprinkler System.

Sioux Falls Fire Rescue responded with 34 personnel in 7 fire trucks and 6 support vehicles.  Fire crews were assisted at the scene by the Sioux Falls Police Department, Xcel Energy, MidAmerican Energy, Red Cross, and Rural/Metro Ambulance.  Sioux Falls Fire Rescue would like to remind everyone to have a fire evacuation plan and practice it.

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