No news about the cause of the fire in a long time. (I just did a Google News search to see if there's anything new). However, I found these two old stories to be interesting, from the Star Tribune 1/3/14 (2 days after the fire), and 1/9/14 (8 days after the fire):
Fire chief, CenterPoint Energy clash over natural gas as cause of Cedar-Riverside blast, Star Tribune, 1/3/14
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http://www.startribune.com/local/238536431.html
(excerpts)
Fire Chief John Fruetel said investigators were focusing on natural gas as a likely cause of the explosion that ignited the fire in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, although he said that weeks of investigation likely will be required to determine the cause.
However, a spokeswoman for CenterPoint Energy strongly discounted gas as the culprit.
“We had no natural gas in the area,” said Rebecca Virden, who based her assertion on the utility’s investigation and testing in the area. If the blast were due to were natural gas, Virden added, “the roof would come off, the walls would come out.”
If a gas were involved, she said, “it could be a different type of gas.”
Asked about CenterPoint’s denial, Fruetel said, “I’m just basing it on what my investigators say.”
He said that witness account
s of a natural gas smell and the type of explosion suggest gas was involved. He said that investigators early on ruled out an explosive device, despite the presence of Department of Homeland Security personnel on Wednesday.
{{ Another story: }} "Fire Chief John Fruetel said ... because of the nature of the debris field and because some witness
es spoke of an odor, investigators were focusing on a gas explosion as a possibility.
Minneapolis mosque damaged in Cedar-Riverside fire seeks a home, Star Tribune, 1/9/14
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http://www.startribune.com/local/239524881.html?page=all
(excerpt) The cause remains under investigation, said Chuck Brynteson, Minneapolis Fire Department assistant chief.
A spokeswoman for CenterPoint Energy said last week that a preliminary analysis detected no leaks in the utility’s gas network; she has since directed questions to the Fire Department.
A witness reported smelling gas before the explosion, Fire Chief John Fruetel said at a news conference just after the fire.
Other survivors, including two who spoke to the Star Tribune from their hospital beds, said they did not smell natural gas before the blast.
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So.... the Fire Chief in the earlier stories indicated "some witnesses", then in the 1/9 story it says he said "a witness" at a news conference just after the fire. And in the 1/9 story, "Other survivors, including two who spoke to the Star Tribune from their hospital beds, said they did not smell natural gas before the blast." (Of course, that some didn't smell natural gas doesn't mean there wasn't natural gas in some part of the building that caused the explosion).
I find it interesting too that the Centerpoint Energy spokesperson, after disagreeing with the fire department in the 1/3 story, is now directing questions to the fire department. Hmmm.
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Nothing more on the victims than what is in post 4.
Cedar hosting benefit concert for New Year's Day fire victims
The Cedar Cultural Center, Augsburg College and KFAI radio are holding a benefit concert
Friday, Jan. 24 at the Cedar to raise money for victims of the New Year's Day fire at the apartment building at 516 Cedar Ave. S. ... MORE:
http://www.southwestjournal.com/news-feed/cedar-hosting-benefit-concert-for-new-years-day-fire-victims
And yes, #6, I do know and knew that the cars in the picture in #5 were newer than late 1950s models. I was merely commenting on the time travel aspect of the picture, in analogizing it to Havana, not saying they were old as American cars in Havana.
= new reply since forum marked as read
