Fargo, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – More than 100 residents of a Fargo nursing home and children at a daycare had to be evacuated to another part of the facility after a fire broke out in the roof area Thursday afternoon.
Fargo Fire Chief Steve Dirksen says the fire started in an attic area and burned through the roof at the Elim Rehab & Care Center on University Dr. S. The fire call came in around 3 pm. Two Fargo firefighters sustained minor injuries while battling the fire. Both have been treated and released. Fire departments from Moorhead and West Fargo were called into assist Fargo. Firefighters remain at the scene as of 8pm in a clean up role.
This is Fargo Fire Chief Steve Dirksen with the details about what happened from this afternoon:
11 pm updated statement from the Fargo Fire Dept:
At approximately 3:03 p.m. today, Thursday, January 23, the Fargo Fire Department was dispatched to a report of fire alarms sounding at Elim Nursing Home, 3534 South University Drive. While responding to the scene, fire crews were given additional information stating visible smoke and flame. On arrival, firefighters found smoke pushing from the openings in the roof in the northwest corner of the structure. Staff reported that they had moved all residents out of the affected area and had them sheltered in the chapel on the far side of the building.
As crews entered the building, they were met with heavy smoke and zero visibility conditions. Fire broke through the roof was consuming the attic space. Multiple hose lines and an aerial ladder stream were used to contain the fire.
Initial response to the fire was four engines, one ladder truck, and one command vehicle. Due to the type of occupancy and size of the fire, the fire department response was upgraded to a fourth alarm. The fourth alarm called all available off-duty Fargo firefighters back to work, both to send additional manpower to the fire scene and to staff backup apparatus for other emergencies throughout the city. The fire was eventually controlled by five Fargo fire engines, two ladder trucks, and two command vehicles. Two Moorhead fire engines, and one West Fargo fire engine also responded and assisted with extinguishing the fire. The fire department was also assisted by multiple Fargo Police officers, FM Ambulance, the Salvation Army, Red Cross, Health Department, and Fargo Emergency Management.
Two Fargo firefighters sustained minor injuries while battling the fire. Both have been treated and released.
Minutes after crews arrived at the fire on South University, a second fire broke out in a storage facility at 1701 1st Ave N. This fire damaged three of the five attached storage units. The fire was quickly contained by the two responding crews, but was difficult to fully extinguish due to the large volume of items stored in the units. Crews had to empty the contents of each affected unit to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.
Both fires are under investigation. Damage estimates are not available at this time.