Fire Killed Woman, Injured Husband In Maple Grove Home: Chief

MAPLE GROVE, MN — A Maple Grove woman was killed Wednesday in a fire that also sent her husband to the hospital, according to officials.

Crews were called Wednesday afternoon to the 10100 block of Nathan Lane North, where the living room of a house was on fire with at least one person inside, Maple Grove Fire Chief Tim Bush said.

An older couple lived at the home and were inside when the fire started, Bush said. The man was unable to remove his wife, who has mobility issues, from the home and suffered smoke- and heat-related injuries, Bush said.

High heat, smoke and flames prevented emergency responders from trying to rescue her before the fire was put out, Bush said. The woman died in the fire, while her husband was taken to North Memorial Medical Center for “advanced care,” Bush said.

A neighbor said he rushed to the couple's house after seeing flames but couldn’t get in to help the woman due to the flames, according to reports.

Authorities have not publicly identified the woman who was killed in the fire as they await confirmation from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office.

A preliminary investigation did not determine the cause of the fire or where it started, Bush said, adding that fire investigators from Maple Grove and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Division are leading the investigation into the fatal fire.

Crews from Maple Grove, Anoka-Champlin and Osseo responded to the fire Wednesday afternoon.