Updated: Oakdale Townhome Unit Collapses, ‘Completely Destroyed’ by Fire

The fire that hit an Oakdale townhome complex Tuesday night “completely destroyed” one unit and left the seven-unit structure vacant as of Wednesday morning.

The Oakdale Fire Department got the call at 7:07 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, and the scene wasn’t cleared until about 1 a.m. Wednesday, said Kevin Wold, deputy fire chief.

The fire hit the end unit of the townhome, at the 1100 block of Hillvale Avenue North, and the family inside was able to escape the blaze, Wold said.

The end unit partially collapsed. No one was injured in the incident, Wold said.

All seven units were evacuated Tuesday night and were still without heat and electricity as of Wednesday morning, Wold said. The Red Cross was working with the residents there.

There was damage to the adjacent unit and possibly others, Wold said. While it appears to have started in the garage, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Several people called the Oakdale Fire Department about the fire, and crews from Woodbury, Maplewood, North St. Paul and Lake Elmo responded.

The investigation could be hindered a bit because of the weather, Wold said.

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