St Paul fire update: What’s burning near Minneapolis? Residents report heavy smoke

Crews are battling an exterior fire at NPI Tool and Dye on Prior Avenue in St Paul, Minnesota, the St Paul Fire Department said.

A fire broke out at NPI Tool and Dye on Prior Avenue in St Paul, with crews checking for possible interior spread.Firefighters are applying water to the blaze and checking whether it has spread inside the building after windows failed.

The fire was reported at an industrial and commercial area on Prior Avenue, drawing attention from people across St Paul and nearby Minneapolis.

Videos and social media posts from the area showed a large plume of dark and gray smoke rising from the site, with several emergency vehicles responding.

The St Paul Fire Department's latest official update, posted at about 3:43 PM CDT on Sunday, said crews were dealing with the exterior fire. Firefighters were using water while checking for possible extension into the building.

The department has not publicly provided a cause for the fire or details about the extent of the damage.

Videos and social media posts from the scene showed large plumes of dark and gray smoke rising above the industrial area, with several emergency vehicles responding. The fire also drew attention from people in nearby areas.

One person asked, “Where/what is this?” while another said, “From dtwn Mpls looks like massive fire.”

Another commenter identified it as a plastics recycling place on Prior Avenue in St Paul and noted that it was “quite a distance from Mpls.”

Street signs visible in videos helped confirm the Prior Avenue location.

Also Read: Greer Fire video: Firefighters battle blaze at M&M Waste Oil Service in South Carolina; Is Wade Hampton Boulevard closed?

Videos and social media posts showed large plumes of dark and gray smoke rising over the industrial area, with several emergency vehicles responding. Under a post by an X user, people wrote, “Anyone know what is on fire ?? #Minneapolis #StPaul,” another wrote, “Tryna figure it out rn too,” later adding, “Driving that direction.”

As the smoke grew, the user wrote, “Holy shit. Either Black Stack brewing or Can Can Wonderland on fire!”

Another person replied, “it's the tool and dye place.” @smibeans, who said they had driven past, described it as “some sort of chemical fire near Can Can Wonderland/Blackstack.”

Another user wrote, “Definitely not the Vikings' offense,” while @vincempls said the area had “Lots of pallets, plastics and old vehicles.”

Sehjal Gupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times and is part of the US Desk. She covers a wide range of stories from the United States, including politics, sports, entertainment, breaking news, and major global developments. She enjoys working across different beats because every story brings a fresh perspective and an opportunity to explore something different. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sehjal was part of The Times of India, where she headed the International Sports and US Streamers team. She reported on international sports, athlete stories, streamer news, and major developments from around the world. The role gave her the opportunity to work on a diverse range of stories while leading coverage across two evolving news categories. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and believes the experience taught her the importance of staying organised, managing priorities, and adapting to new challenges. Over the years, she has reported on a variety of topics and enjoys taking on stories that keep her curious and encourage her to look beyond the obvious. Expertise: International news, International/US sports, and streamer coverage. Interests: Global affairs, geopolitics, politics, and entertainment. Outside work, Sehjal loves travelling, watching movies, and exploring new places to eat. She enjoys discovering new cultures and believes that some of the best stories and experiences come from stepping outside her comfort zone and exploring unfamiliar places.Read More