Cause of fire near homeless encampment under investigation

The Minneapolis Fire Department said they are working to determine what started an outside fire Monday afternoon.

The blaze was located behind 900 East Hennepin Avenue, near a homeless encampment and at the rear of a nearby tool and equipment rental building. Fire officials did not state whether the encampment played a role in the fire.

Firefighters said they had to cut through a fence to get to the fire but were able to extinguish the flames.

An investigation found that the fire had burned multiple plexiglass windows but had not spread to inside the building or to its roof.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.