MARSHALL — A Monday night fire at 501 Village Drive displaced residents and claimed the life of a dog, but no people were injured, according to Marshall Fire Chief Quentin Brunsvold.
Brunsvold said crews arrived to find “thick, black smoke coming from Unit Number 1” at the Suite Liv’n Apartments. While no flames were visible outside, firefighters received reports of people trapped on the second floor. One resident jumped from a second-story window before crews arrived. “He’s fine and not injured,” Brunsvold said.
Another man had barricaded himself in a bathroom while trying to gather his pets. “The man was trying to gather his animals… They ended up getting him out safely,” Brunsvold said.
No tenants or firefighters were hurt, but one dog inside the originating unit died.
Brunsvold said accessing water was the biggest hurdle. The building sits in the northwest corner of the complex and likely predates fire-code requirements for on-site hydrants. “There’s no fire hydrants in there, so we have to grab the hydrant in the street,” he said. Firefighters had to run hose nearly a block, using two trucks to supply enough line to reach the first engine.
Despite the challenge, firefighters achieved a quick knockdown. “We had enough water on the first-due engine to get a good knockdown on the fire,” Brunsvold said. Crews then completed primary and secondary searches confirming everyone was out.
Brunsvold noted that one resident repeatedly re-entered the burning apartment and left the door open, which “created a full pass” and contributed to rapid fire growth.
Mutual aid came from the Lynd and Ghent fire departments. The Marshall Police Department, North Memorial Ambulance, and the American Red Cross also assisted.
The fire remains under investigation by the Marshall Fire Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal.
