Crews are on the scene of a large fire in northeast Minneapolis that caused several buildings to collapse early Sunday morning.
Officials with the Minneapolis Fire Department say crews responded to a report of a fire around 4:13 a.m. on the 1500 block of Central Avenue Northeast.
Crews arrived to find a three-story commercial building fully engulfed in flames, with the fire encroaching on adjacent buildings. The fire quickly spread to two other structures that were butted up against each other.
The Minneapolis Fire Department says crews struggled to reach the building due to a large pile of discarded tires and debris blocking the road, several locked gated parking areas and a BNSF railway bridge.
WCCO 
Minneapolis Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Ruker said the fire hydrants were far away and some of them did not have enough water pressure to support the number of crews on the scene. Fire engines had long hose lays to fire hydrants in the area to gain enough water to supply. Four aerial ladder water towers and several large volume ground nozzle headlines were also used.
Officials say there may have been people experiencing homelessness in the area at the time of the fire. Crews searched all buildings that weren’t fully engulfed and did not find anyone. No injuries have been reported.
BNSF was able to move the railcars occupying the nearby tracks that the fire was impending upon, officials say. BNSF confirmed the railcars were empty.
Fire crews are still on the scene working to extinguish the flames and are expected to be there for several more hours. Officials say the fire is contained to the area.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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