Explosions set off fire in south Mpls

One firefighter was injured after a string of explosions set off a towering fire Friday night in a south Minneapolis neighborhood.

The flames reached 20 to 30 feet high just outside a foundry and an asphalt plant near Cedar Avenue and 28th Street. Workers were able to safely evacuate before the fire escalated.

Fire Marshal Perry Ebner says seven propane tanks ignited and pushed the fire further into a nearby storage shed, which housed tar and cement.

"There were several explosions at the time. The propane cylinders heat up, there's no place for them to go but the actual metal to rip and tear, so yes, they exploded," said Ebner. "There were roughly seven of them, so there was quite the fireball that was above the building at the time."

Ebner says crews were able to control the blaze shortly afterward. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The extent of the firefighter's injuries was unknown.