Fire destroys Brooklyn Center duplex after alleged dispute

Firefighters tackled a fire for about four hours early Wednesday at a two-story duplex in Brooklyn Center that they suspect was set ablaze intentionally after a dispute in one of the units.

"The fire took off pretty fast," said Brooklyn Center Fire Chief Lee Gatlin. "Between the time we got there and the time the fire went through the roof was matter of minutes. Usually that's an indication that something is helping the fire along."

The department was called at 2:21 a.m. Wednesday, and put the fire out around 6 a.m. he said. The duplex is on the 7200 block of West River Road.

All four occupants survived with no injuries, although a woman was taken to the hospital because she was intoxicated. One dog died, the other escaped unharmed, Gatlin said. The State Fire Marshall is investigating the fire as possible arson, although the cause of fire has not been determined, Gatlin said.

One of the men at the duplex told firefighters that there was "a dispute," and then a woman came downstairs and told him the house was on fire, Gatlin said. When firefighters arrived, there were flames coming out of the front windows and side door, Gatlin said.

"Shortly thereafter, the entire first floor became engulfed, and the fire went through the roof," he said. "Fires usually don't behave this way unless there's something that's accelerating it."

The cold weather prompted the department to call its partners for help, to rotate crews, he said. Brooklyn Park, Fridley, West Metro and Robbinsdale Fire Departments assisted.

The arson investigation is ongoing, Gatlin said.