Minneapolis, MN
911 call transcript released for Minneapolis fire that left 2 dead, 4 hospitalized
Arson suspected in Mpls fire after 2 dead
Two people have been found dead in a burned Minneapolis apartment building that police not suspect was started by someone on purpose.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The 911 call transcripts from a fatal Aug. 13 Minneapolis fire reveal frantic calls made to dispatchers as residents fled from flames.
911 call reveals frantic escape
The transcript shows a caller telling the 911 operator that “someone set our building on fire” as the caller ran through the hallway to escape. The caller also said “The whole hallway is hot” and “smoking.”
The caller then realized they forgot their cats were inside and pleaded with the 911 operator to send help quickly. The operator then tells the caller to remain outside before firetruck sirens are heard in the background. Officials did not report any deceased animals or pets following the fire.
READ MORE: Minneapolis apartment fire deaths, search details provided by fire chief
Fire crews did rescue a dog that was reunited with its owner after receiving oxygen treatment.
911 caller reports possible suspect
Another 911 caller reported someone set the fire in the second-floor hallway.
The caller then gave a description of who they believe set the fire, but police say no arrests related to the fire have been made.
What we know
The fire was reported just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13, at a four-story apartment building in the 1500 block of 11th Avenue South in Minneapolis.
The fire left four people hospitalized, including a child, while several others had to be rescued from the burning building. Two adults and a child were treated for burn injuries and another person was treated for smoke inhalation.
The first body was found around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15. Authorities described the victim as an elderly man who was found under the debris of a collapsed roof.
The second body was found later in the day on Thursday. Officials say the victim was a woman who was also found underneath the debris.
Both fatal victims were found in the same apartment on the top floor.
READ MORE: Minneapolis apartment fire leaves 4 hospitalized, others rescued from building
Minneapolis officials offer apartment fire update
On Friday Minneapolis Fire Chief Brian Tyner offered updates on an apartment fire that killed two people, and put several others in the hospital. FOX 9’s Rob Olson recaps the latest.
The building was not equipped with an automatic sprinkler system.
What we don’t know
Officials have not announced any charges related to the fire, but said they are investigating it as an arson.
Police say the fire is still under investigation and no arrests have been made.
Minneapolis, MN
‘No Kings’ Rallies on March 28 across Minnesota: List
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Several “No Kings” rallies are planned across Minnesota for March 28, with a flagship event being held in St. Paul.
Over 3,000 “No Kings” events are planned across the U.S. for that day.
‘No Kings’ rallies
What they’re saying:
Organizers are calling the upcoming “No Kings” rally “the largest single-day nonviolent nationwide protests in U.S. history.”
“Just months ago, millions of people took to the streets across thousands of events to say no to Trump’s abuses of power, and today that movement is only growing. With every ICE raid, every escalation abroad, and every abuse of power at home, Americans are rising up in opposition to Trump’s attempt to rule through fear and force. Each day Trump crosses a new red line, and more people are deciding they’ve had enough,” said Ezra Levin, Co-Executive Director of Indivisible. “That is why people across the country are organizing, showing up for their neighbors, and making one thing unmistakably clear: we are done with the corruption, the cruelty, and the authoritarianism. This No Kings will be the largest protest in American history. We are all united in this fight to save our democracy from this administration, and we will win. From every corner of this country, we are all saying: NO KINGS.”
The backstory:
Several nationwide “No Kings” rallies have been held over the past year to oppose the Trump administration, including events in June and October.
This “No Kings” rally comes after a major Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surge in Minnesota, and the fatal shooting of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.
No Kings meaning:
The rallies are organized by the 50501 movement – which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one movement – which was created by Reddit users.
With the “No Kings” slogan, protesters are opposing what they see as authoritarian behavior by President Trump.
‘No Kings’ rallies planned across Minnesota
Local perspective:
Some of the speakers expected to speak at the St. Paul rally are Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, singer and activist Joan Baez and actor and activist Jane Fonda.
READ MORE: ‘No Kings’ rally in St. Paul on March 28: List of speakers
Here is a list of some rallies being held across Minnesota on March 28.
- St. Paul: The march and rally held in the capital city is the “flagship event” for the “No Kings” rallies. The marches in St. Paul will start at noon, with the rally starting at 2 p.m. There will be three marches that will all converge at the Minnesota State Capitol. The marches will start at Harriet Island Regional Park, St. Paul College and Western Sculpture Park.
- St. Paul: 1–3 p.m., Lexington Parkway and 7th Street West
- St. Paul: 12-2 p.m., Cleveland Bridge over Interstate 94
- Stillwater: 12-2 p.m., Oak Park Crossing Park, 15125 60th Street North
- White Bear Lake: 1–3 p.m., Railroad Park, 4752 Highway 61 North
- Eagan: 12-1 p.m., Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road
- Inver Grove Heights: 12-2 p.m., 80th Street Bridge over Highway 52
- Minneapolis: 12-3 p.m., Lake Nokomis, East 52nd Street and Cedar Avenue
- Columbia Heights: 1-2:30 p.m., 49th Avenue Northeast Pedestrian Bridge
- New Brighton Bridge Brigade Bonaza: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. six locations across six bridges in the city: Silver Lake Road at Interstae 694, Long Lake Road at I-694, County Road E2 at Interstate 35W, County Road D at 35W, 10th Street at I-35W, County Road H at I-35W
- St. Louis Park: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 3663 Park Center Boulevard
- Richfield: 1-3 p.m., Penn Avenue South and West 66th Street, and Lyndale Avenue and West 66th Street
- Golden Valley: 12-1:30 p.m., Highway 55 and Winnetka Avenue North
- Burnsville: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Burnhaven Library, 1101 County Road 42 West
- Lakeville: 2–4 p.m., Kenwood Trail and Kendrick Avenue
- Chaska: 1–3 p.m., North Chestnut Street and Hazeltine Boulevard
There are several “No Kings” rallies scheduled all over Minnesota on March 28. To see if there is a rally in your area, click here. Some require sign-ups to see the exact location.
The Source: This story uses information shared by Indivisible Twin Cities and previous FOX 9 reporting.
Minneapolis, MN
Duluth-to-Minneapolis Electric Train Doesn’t Have to be a Dream
Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared as an opinion column in the Duluth News Tribune on March 9, 2026
“There are those that look at things the way they are and ask, ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and ask, ‘Why not?’” This quote from Irish playwright and political activist George Bernard Shaw was popularized by Robert F. Kennedy during his 1968 presidential campaign.
In August 2019, White Earth Nation member and Anishinaabe activist Winona LaDuke offered a suggestion in a column for Forum Communications: “How about an electric train, Duluth? You could be the leader in the next economy. Driving is highly overrated. … An electric train would be quiet, a lot quieter than what they’ve got going in Duluth for sure.”
I would add to her wise words that, despite having higher initial infrastructure costs to build because of overhead lines and electric substations, electric locomotives usually cost 20% less than diesel locomotives, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. They offer superior performance and efficiency over diesel, featuring over 90% energy efficiency, higher acceleration and hauling power, lower operating costs (25%-35% less maintenance and costing up to 50% less to run) and zero tailpipe emissions. Electric locomotives don’t carry the weight of 3,000 to 5,500 gallons of diesel fuel. They surpass diesel locomotives while pulling urban and commuter trains, as well as pulling heavier freight trains because of their ability to be quieter with steady and high torque.
In addition, I’m sure Minnesota Power would be happy to sell electric power, created by renewable resources, to power an electric train in Duluth.
Inspired by LaDuke’s sensible words, I started researching electrically powered railways in Minnesota. A few weeks ago, I found a website describing the Arrow Line Railway marker sign on the Sunrise Loop trail in Wild River State Park, about an hour and 50 minutes south of Duluth. The marker sign tells visitors, “If the dreams of the promoters of the Arrow Line Railway had come true, trains would be crossing the St. Croix River into Wisconsin at this spot. Forty feet above your head, a steel bridge would have carried a double-tracked, electrically-powered railway on the shortest route between the Twin Cities and the Twin Ports of Duluth-Superior.”
The Historical Marker Database website further explains, “Construction by the Twin Cities & Lake Superior Railway Company took place in 1907-1909. Forty miles of roadbed were built from the edge of the Twin Cities to this spot, and thirteen miles of grade were built near the Duluth end of the line. But, no rails were ever installed and no trains ever ran.”
Promoters proclaimed the Arrow Line Railway was designed to travel passengers and freight from the Twin Cities to the Twin Ports and return in about two hours. They made this prediction using the electric-locomotive technology and the structural engineering that was available in the early 1900s. Just imagine how much faster that travel time could be using the electric-locomotive technology and the structural engineering available in the 2020s.
George Bernard Shaw also said, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
More than 100 years ago, this dream died when the line’s strongest promoter, L.N. Loomis, president of the Twin Cities & Lake Superior Railway Company, died unexpectedly. His death, however, does not mean his worthwhile dream has to be gone forever.
Throughout the U.S., state departments of transportation build and own railroad lines. Imagine if the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Wisconsin Department of Transportation built this groundbreaking (in more ways than one) Arrow Line Railway. It would become one of the most useful state-supported Amtrak rail corridors.
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them,” Walt Disney said.
Construction-project dreams can be abandoned and then years or decades later be brought back to life. One of many examples is New York City’s Second Avenue Subway that was first proposed in 1920. It was then partly constructed between 1972 and 1975, before being canceled because of a fiscal crisis. The first phase opened in 2017. The second phase has started planning, design, environmental studies, and utility relocation. If the electric Second Avenue Subway had 97 years between first proposals to completion of the first phase, then our electric Arrow Line Railway can also be brought back to life.
Midwesterners should stop asking why business-building go-getters of the past couldn’t complete the line. Instead, we should have the courage to ask how we present-day people can now complete it.
LaDuke and other promoters of sustainable transportation realize the dream of an electric railway between Minneapolis and Duluth. They are aware of the numerous benefits it could bring to current and future generations of citizens. Let’s help them revive the Arrow Line Railway as soon as possible.
LaDuke asked, “How about an electric train, Duluth?” Our answer should be, “Yes.”
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Minneapolis, MN
Allina To Join CA-Based Sutter Health
Allina Health and Sacramento-based Sutter Health have signed a letter of intent for Allina to join Sutter, creating a combined nonprofit health system serving Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northern and central California, the two organizations announced Tuesday.
Under the agreement, Allina Health would become the Upper Midwest Division of Sutter Health, keeping the Allina name, brand and regional headquarters in Minneapolis. Sutter would maintain its headquarters in Northern California. Lisa Shannon would remain president and CEO of Allina, and Warner Thomas would lead the combined system as president and CEO of Sutter.
A more than $2 billion investment in Minnesota and western Wisconsin will be used to establish new ambulatory care locations and expand specialty institutes, and accelerate physician and clinician recruitment, among other things, according to the announcement.
The new health system would have a combined 18,000 physicians and 88,000 employees serving over 5 million patients across three states. The system would include 39 hospitals and more than 400 primary and specialty care sites.
“As one nationally leading, locally committed nonprofit health system, we will be uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of innovation, building upon the expertise of our physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and team members to chart a new path for healthcare,” Shannon said in the news release announcing the agreement.
Allina has had operating losses over the past four years, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported, noting the Sutter deal is similar to an acquisition but Sutter is not paying for its controlling interest.
“Healthcare organizations across the country are facing complex challenges and a rapidly evolving landscape,” Thomas said in the news release. “As trusted nonprofit health systems, we have a responsibility to fundamentally transform care for patients and communities across the country.”
Executives told the Tribune that Allina patients shouldn’t see near-term charges in their doctors, services or insurance coverage.
Allina and Sutter anticipate closing on the agreement by the end of 2026, pending regulatory approval.
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