Building under renovation catches fire at Fort Snelling’s Upper Post

Minneapolis firefighters battled a blaze Thursday afternoon at Fort Snelling’s Upper Post, authorities said.

According to the Minneapolis Fire Department, the third floor of a building at Fort Snelling’s Upper Post that was under renovation caught fire just before 3 p.m. The building was unoccupied when the fire started, and all construction crew members were accounted for.

Strong winds and heavy fire pouring out of the roof complicated efforts to extinguish the fire, and firefighters called for a second alarm for extra crews and equipment, the fire department said.

Two firefighters suffered minor burns on their hands from melting tar. No deaths were reported.

Minneapolis firefighters say the roof of the building is a total loss. It’s unclear what else of the structure is still salvageable, as fire crews are still assessing the damage.

The structure that caught fire, Building 53, was built in 1903 and used to be a gymnasium, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.