Minneapolis firefighters hurt battling business fire; Indigenous archive at risk: news

Minneapolis Firefighters Injured in Commercial Blaze as Irreplaceable Indigenous Archives Face Threat

Two Minneapolis firefighters were hospitalized Sunday evening while battling an intense, three-alarm commercial fire along East Franklin Avenue, an incident that has also placed historic Native American archives in immediate jeopardy.

According to the Minneapolis Fire Department, roughly 50 to 60 firefighters responded to the blaze. Crews faced heavy fire upon initial entry, coupled with high temperatures reaching 90 degrees that intensified conditions inside the cluttered structure. Both injured firefighters sustained minor burns and heat-related exhaustion before being transported to a local hospital for evaluation and later released.

As parts of the roof collapsed and flames threatened neighboring properties, emergency operations shifted toward structural containment. Fire officials noted that adjacent older brick structures share common basement and attic areas, raising significant concerns about heavy smoke and water damage spreading next door.

The interconnected facilities house regional tribal entities, including offices for the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe and the Fond du Lac Urban Tribe. The site protects irreplaceable Dakota and Ojibwe written language archives, historical records, and educational resources. Community leaders and preservationists continue to monitor the building closely as recovery efforts begin.

The official cause of the fire remains under active investigation by local authorities.

For local television coverage of the emergency response and on-scene reports, watch the KARE 11 three-alarm fire coverage. This video is relevant because it provides visual reporting on the emergency crews, on-scene damage, and firefighter injuries from the Franklin Avenue commercial fire.