Robbinsdale apartment fire displaces about 50 people

An apartment fire in Robbinsdale on Friday morning will force about 50 people to find a new place to live, authorities said.

Robbinsdale Fire Chief Mark Fairchild said the city's building inspector has deemed the structure uninhabitable after a fire broke out in one of the units and spread to the unit above it. The Windsor Court apartment building has 16 units, 14 of which were occupied, Fairchild said.

While only two units caught fire, the rest of the building was damaged by water and smoke.

"It's probably going to be rebuilt," Fairchild said.

Officials were helping the residents find new apartments in the area, Fairchild said.

The fire started at about 3:40 a.m., and people were able to get out quickly. Fairchild said no firefighters or residents were injured, but someone's cat died of smoke inhalation.

Investigators from Hennepin County are helping the Robbinsdale Fire Department determine the exact cause of the fire, but Fairchild said no foul play is expected.

"I'm confident that it will come in as accidental," he said.

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