A massive blaze ripped through the roof and upper floors of the Helix Apartments in St. Louis Park on Friday evening, sending a towering column of black smoke into the sky that witnesses said was hard to miss from nearby highways. Fire crews from several departments rushed in to battle the flames as bystanders grabbed their phones and started recording. As of Friday evening, officials had not confirmed a cause or reported whether anyone was hurt, and firefighters were still digging in for a long night on the scene.
Fire Erupts Near Highway 7 And Pennsylvania Avenue
According to KSTP, the fire was reported just before 5 p.m. at the Helix Apartments complex near Highway 7 and Pennsylvania Avenue South. KSTP reported that the flames appeared to have spread across the top of the building and were still chewing their way toward additional units as firefighters worked to knock them down. The station described the scene as an active, developing situation.
Mutual Aid Rolls In As Flames Hit Upper Floors
Bring Me The News published photos and video that show fire on the upper floors and a heavy plume of smoke rising over the complex. The outlet reported that St. Louis Park firefighters were joined by neighboring departments, including units from Excelsior, as the operation grew. The dark smoke column, they noted, was visible from nearby highways, offering metro drivers a dramatic, if unsettling, view of the fire.
What We Know About The Building
The Helix is a multi-unit apartment complex at 7450 Highway 7 in St. Louis Park, according to City of St. Louis Park documents. The city’s housing analysis lists the property as a roughly 167-unit community built in the mid-1980s, the kind of large, spread-out structure where a roof-level fire can quickly move between units if it is not contained.
Officials Tight-Lipped As Investigation Begins
As of Friday evening, there was still no official word on what sparked the fire or whether anyone was injured. KSTP reported that crews remained on site and that the incident was still considered active. Authorities are expected to release more details once the fire is fully under control and investigators can safely move through the damaged areas. This story will be updated as fire officials and the city provide confirmed information.
