Family of Five Displaced After Three-Alarm House Fire in Apple Valley
Published: September 22, 2026 | Last Updated: September 25, 2026 at 10:05 AM.
APPLE VALLEY, MINNESOTA - A family of five is working to rebuild after an early-morning three-alarm fire heavily damaged their Apple Valley home Tuesday, leaving the residence uninhabitable and destroying a place the family had called home for two decades.
Apple Valley Fire, Apple Valley Police, and Allina Health EMS were dispatched around 4:25 a.m. on September 22, 2026, to a reported residential structure fire in the 200 block of Elm Drive. According to the Apple Valley Fire Department, the homeowner called 911 after being awakened by a smoke alarm and discovering a fire in the basement of the split-level, single-family home. Everyone inside evacuated on their own.
Firefighters arrived around 4:30 a.m. and found heavy smoke and fire coming from the home. Crews initially attacked the fire from the exterior before moving inside. The incident quickly escalated as crews requested additional resources. The fire was upgraded to a second alarm around 4:30 a.m. and then to a third alarm at approximately 4:41 a.m., bringing mutual aid from the Lakeville and Rosemount fire departments.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control by approximately 5:14 a.m. Crews remained at the property afterward, and the fire was officially marked out at 6:05 a.m.
Three Residents Evaluated, Family Displaced
Allina Health EMS evaluated three residents for smoke inhalation after the fire, but none required transport to a hospital, according to Apple Valley Fire. One firefighter suffered a muscle strain while extinguishing the blaze.
The home sustained extensive damage and was deemed uninhabitable, displacing all five family members. The American Red Cross was called to assist them.
According to officials with the Apple Valley Fire Department, the Apple Valley Fire Marshal and a private fire investigator hired by the family’s home insurance company determined that the fire started in the home's basement and ruled the cause an electrical malfunction.
Family Had Called Home Their Own Since 2006
In the days following the fire, a GoFundMe fundraiser was established for the Lopez-Solano family, providing additional details about the family and what was lost.
According to the GoFundMe, the family had lived in the Elm Drive home since 2006, making it the center of their lives for approximately 20 years. According to the fundraiser, the parents migrated from Mexico, and the Apple Valley house was the first home they could truly call their own after coming to the United States. There, they started and raised their family while pursuing what the fundraiser described as the American Dream.
After years of work, the family had also recently finished paying off the mortgage on the home, according to the fundraiser. The organizer said the house represented considerably more than the physical structure, holding years of memories for the family. The fundraiser also states the family celebrated another significant milestone there two years ago when they became U.S. citizens.
The family of five and their dog, Coco, are now displaced following the fire.
The fundraiser was started to help the Lopez-Solano family meet immediate needs as they begin recovering from the loss. Money raised will go toward clothing, food, temporary housing, and other basic necessities, according to the organizer, as the family works to get back on its feet and determine its next steps.
According to the fundraiser, the Lopez-Solano family is hardworking and generous, and says the loss of their longtime home has been devastating. If you would like to donate to the family, you can find the GoFundMe here: https://gofund.me/dfe440033.
Smoke Alarm Helped Alert Family
While the investigation into what caused the fire continues, Apple Valley Fire highlighted the role of the home's smoke alarm. The homeowner said the alarm woke them before they discovered the basement fire and called 911.
The Apple Valley Fire Department is reminding residents to test smoke alarms monthly and ensure everyone in the household knows how to escape in a fire.
Limitless Media will continue to update this story as additional information becomes available.
The rough location where the fire occurred in Apple Valley, Minnesota.
Written by: Will Wight
Images provided by the GoFundMe.
