Updated: Fire Destroys Townhomes in Shakopee

A fire near in Shakopee has destroyed a townhome and caused heavy damage to another, according to Shakopee fire officials.

Firefighters were called at 9:40 a.m. Thursday, July 12 to the townhome at 1762 Riverside Drive in the Riverside Grove development. Upon arrival firefighters saw significant flames, according to Shakopee Fire Capt. Tom Pitschneider.

"Residents were in the unit at the time of the fire and fortunately they were able to escape prior to the fire cutting off the exit," Pitschneider said.

One resident was transported by ambulance for smoke inhalation, according to Shakopee Fire Chief Rick Coleman. He also said a Bloomington firefighter suffered a knee injury while fighting the blaze and was transported by ambulance for treatment.

Two of the homes in the eight-unit complex were damaged significantly while two others have minor smoke damage, according to Pitschneider.

"Had the building been provided with a fire sprinkler system the fire could have been contained to the room of origin which appears to be in a living room area on the main floor of the unit," he said. 

Sonja Peterson said she was in her townhome across the street at the time of the fire and was alerted to it by her 3-year-old.

"She screamed and I saw it just in flames," she said. "And no cops were here yet."

Peterson said a family with as many as eight people had recently moved into the home, and in the adjacent damaged home, two children and a teenager had gotten out safely.

Residents who live on that block were not able to get to their homes as of noon because the scene had been blocked off by police. One man was waiting at to get into his home, which he believed was about four units down from the blaze. He particularly wanted to check on his pets. By 2 p.m., neighbors in surrounding homes were allowed back in and were checking out the damaged units. Only two Shakopee fire trucks remained on the scene at that point.

Firefighters came from Shakopee, Savage, Prior Lake, Eden Prairie, Chaska, Jordan, Bloomington and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Stay with Shakopee Patch for updates to this story. 

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