A fire in the basement of a three-story fraternity house along University Avenue in Minneapolis midafternoon Thursday prompted an evacuation of buildings along this main thoroughfare near the University of Minnesota, according to the Minneapolis fire chief.
Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said that the early indication is that gasoline in the sewer system caught fire and blew several manholes along University Avenue.
No injuries were reported from the fire at the Delta Tau Delta fraternity in the 1700 block of University Avenue SE., the chief said.
Tyner said his department and CenterPoint Energy were teaming up to confirm the initial suspicion of gasoline playing a role in the fire.
"We don't want [gasoline] to get in the sewer system," Tyner said. "We don't even know how it got there."
Buildings along University from 10th to 19th avenues were evacuated, the Fire Department said. Metro Transit buses and Northrop auditorium were used to take in those forced from the incident scene.
Children at a nearby YMCA were placed on a Metro Transit bus for shelter, while the occupants of a daycare in the 300 block of 16th Avenue SE. moved to Bierman Field near campus, the Fire Department said.
As of 10:20 p.m., all residents in the affected area were back in their homes, Tyner said.
Staff writer Katelyn Vue contributed to this report.
