ST. PAUL, Minn. — Authorities are investigating a fatal garage fire that claimed the lives of two men on Sunday in the 1800 block of Sims Avenue.
Fire crews arrived just after noon to find the garage fully engulfed in flames. After extinguishing the fire, they discovered the bodies of two individuals inside. A preliminary investigation suggests the fire was sparked when a space heater was accidentally knocked over.
St. Paul Assistant Fire Chief Jeramiah Melquist identified one of the victims as a man in his early sixties, the son of the homeowner. The second victim has yet to be identified. Investigators noted that heavy fire conditions blocked the garage’s only exit, trapping the occupants inside.
Melquist stressed the dangers of space heater misuse, as “improper heating” remains the leading cause of fatal fires in Minnesota’s cold months. This marks the first fire-related deaths in St. Paul this year.
The fire department temporarily relocated the home’s residents. Mayor Melvin Carter acknowledged that the city’s East Side experiences more fires, possibly due to aging structures. Plans for an additional fire station and increased staffing aim to improve response efforts.
On average, St. Paul sees two to three fire-related deaths annually, according to the fire department.
