One person suffered smoke inhalation with a dramatic rescue yesterday in an early morning fire in Crookston.
Fire fighters arrived at the home in the 500 block of Summit Avenue just after 3:00am to find the back of the home fully engulfed in flame with one occupant trapped at an upstairs window, struggling for air as smoke and flames rolled over the roof of the house.
Crookston Fire Chief, Tim Froeber, says the garage area had entirely collapsed but fire fighters managed to rescue the man, who was taken to Riverview Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and released.
The man told officials he woke to the sound of a smoke alarm and tried to escape down the stairs in the home but found the way blocked by fire. He returned to the bedroom window, still on his cell phone, as fire fighters used a ladder to rescue him from the second story window.
Chief Froeber said he believes the fire started in the attached garage where a battery was being charged. It spread into the basement then to the main floor. Fire fighters say the complex construction of the home allowed it to burn rapidly through the roof. Fire fighters remained at the scene until mid-morning.
