By: Richard L. Smith
Firefighters in Maplewood battled an early-morning structure fire as temperatures remained in the single digits early Monday.
At approximately 1:42 a.m., crews were dispatched to the Gifford Courts area after reports of a fire inside a residence.
Upon arrival, firefighters encountered active fire conditions coming from the structure and immediately began stretching hose lines to attack the blaze.
As operations continued, the incident was upgraded to a second-alarm fire, prompting additional resources to respond to the scene.
Mutual aid was requested, and command called for an extra engine and ladder company to assist with suppression efforts.
During the incident, two victims were reportedly removed from the residence by rescue crews and transported by emergency medical services for treatment.
Their conditions were not immediately available.
Fire officials later confirmed the fire was brought under control. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
