A duplex on the 13400 block of 70th Place North in Maple Grove was damaged after an early morning fire Sunday, where one Maple Grove firefighter was sent to the hospital.

The call came in around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 16. Residents of both homes were inside when the fire started, according to Maple Grove Fire Chief Scott Anderson, but escaped safely.

The fire started on the deck and “engulfed the whole back of the house," Anderson said.

The dog of one of the homeowners woke up the couple, who went to investigate a light outside – which turned out to be the fire. Anderson said one of the residents was a former Long Lake firefighter who tried to help control the fire with a garden hose until crews arrived.

A Maple Grove firefighter fell and was injured during the incident, was transported to the Maple Grove Hospital and released later Sunday morning. He remains on leave from the fire department while recovering from his injuries, according to Anderson.

The Maple Grove Fire Department continues to investigate the cause of the fire, which damaged both sides of the duplex and will likely be uninhabitable during repairs. 

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