Multiple Fire Departments Respond to Second-Alarm Structure Fire at Gables Apartments in Bloomington, Minnesota
Published: MAY 11, 2026
BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA - Multiple fire departments responded Monday morning, May 11, 226, to a second-alarm apartment fire at the Gables Apartments in the 9700 block of Grand Avenue South, where firefighters rescued several residents from third-floor balconies as smoke spread through part of the building.
According to emergency radio traffic and information from responders on scene, the Bloomington Fire Department was dispatched around 8:20 a.m. for reports of a commercial structure fire at the apartment complex. Initial reports indicated a fire on the third floor at the north end of the building. By approximately 8:26 a.m., the incident was upgraded to a second alarm after crews reported active fire visible from a third-floor balcony. The second alarm brought in additional Bloomington units along with mutual aid from neighboring departments, including Richfield Fire Department, Edina Fire Department, MAC Airport Fire Department, and Burnsville Fire Department.
Apple Valley Fire Department and Mendota Heights Fire Department were initially paged to assist, but were later canceled early in the response. Around 8:47 a.m., the Eagan Fire Department was requested for city coverage assistance at Bloomington Fire Station 1 while Bloomington crews remained committed to the active fire scene. Metro Transit was also called to the scene in case buses were needed to temporarily shelter displaced residents from the apartment building.
Bloomington Fire confirmed that firefighters conducted multiple rescues from third-floor balconies during the incident. One resident who spoke with Limitless Media said they were asleep when someone began yelling for help in the hallway. The resident said they opened their apartment door and immediately encountered heavy smoke filling the corridor, then saw fire units outside their apartment. After shutting the door to prevent smoke from entering the apartment, they moved to their balcony, where firefighters later rescued them using a ladder.
A Bloomington Police Department officer at the scene reported that one person sustained minor burn injuries during the incident.
Fire crews reportedly achieved a significant knockdown on the main fire unit around 8:49 a.m. However, firefighters continued operations afterward while checking for potential fire extension into the attic space above the affected apartments. By 9:45 AM, some mutual aid units were slowly being released from the scene.
The full extent of the damage, the number of displaced residents, and the cause of the fire have not yet been released. The incident remains under investigation.
Written by: Will Wight
