Deadly Mpls fire being investigated as possible arson

Arson investigators are examining the site of a large house fire in south Minneapolis early Saturday that killed one occupant and injured four others.

Firefighters responded about 4:30 a.m. Saturday to a fire at a home near Blaisdell Avenue and West 28th Street.

Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel says the fire was full-blown when crews arrived.

"When you have that much that much involvment -- that much fire extending out of the structure upon arrival of the crews, it's hard to say how long it had been burning," Fruetel says, "but to have that volume of fire, it certainly had been burning for a while because there was a large volume of fire showing in that structure when crews arrived."

Firefighters rescued two people through a third-floor window.

While extinguishing the fire, crews found three more people, including one who was dead. The others were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center. Their conditions are undisclosed.

"It's certainly a tragic fire and crews did a very, very good job," Fruetel says. "I'm very proud of the firefighters and the job they did on the scene under very, very trying conditions when they first arrived."

No firefighters were injured.