Late-night roof fire at Minneapolis utility generation plant contained quickly, with operations continuing uninterrupted

Fire reported near 600 Main Street SE

A late-night fire at a utility generation plant in Minneapolis was contained without reported injuries and without disrupting ongoing operations, officials said. The incident was reported around 10:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, drawing Minneapolis firefighters to the 600 block of Main Street Southeast, where smoke and visible flames were observed.

Fire crews arrived to find flames breaking through the roof area of the facility. Responders laid hose lines and requested additional crews and specialized equipment to reach a remote portion of the building. Firefighters removed sections of the roof to access the seat of the fire and prevent further spread.

Operations continued as fire crews worked

Officials said the fire did not interrupt plant operations. The cause remained under investigation as of Feb. 7, and authorities had not reported the extent of structural damage beyond the roof area involved in the response.

The site at 600 Main Street SE is part of a long-established energy and steam-generation complex serving the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus. The plant is located along the Mississippi River and has historically functioned as a combined heat-and-power facility supporting campus heating needs and power generation.

University alerts noted brief public-safety impacts

Public safety alerts issued during the incident described a large fire and noted a slight explosion as the response unfolded. Campus police assisted with traffic control and directed people to avoid the immediate area while firefighters operated. Within about an hour of the initial alert, an update reported that visible fire was no longer present, though fire personnel remained on scene.

What investigators will likely examine

While investigators had not announced a cause, roof-area fires at industrial facilities typically require careful examination of several potential sources, including mechanical equipment on rooftops, electrical components, and construction materials. Fire investigators generally work to determine where the fire began, how it spread, and whether building systems such as alarms and suppression equipment performed as designed.

• Time and location: The fire was reported around 10:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, at a utility generation plant in the 600 block of Main Street SE.

• Injuries: No injuries were reported.

• Operations: Officials said plant operations continued without interruption.

• Status: The fire was contained after crews accessed the roof area and removed portions of roofing to extinguish remaining hot spots.

Officials emphasized that the incident did not disrupt ongoing plant operations as the investigation continued.

Fire officials had not released a final damage assessment or a timeline for completing the investigation by Feb. 7.