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Firefighters discover body while removing debris from an apartment fire, officials say
The body has been turned over to Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office
At least 14 people are injured in the fire that began Wednesday
A body has been discovered in the charred remains of a three-story apartment building in Minneapolis where an explosion and fire injured at least 14 people, fire officials said Thursday.
Firefighters discovered the body, which has not been publicly identified, while removing debris from Wednesday’s fire, officials said. The body was turned over to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, they said.
“The cause of the fire is still under investigation. While a gas leak could be one potential cause, it could be weeks until a cause is determined and may ultimately be undetermined,” according to a statement released by the Minneapolis Fire Department.
Most of the injuries suffered were burns or came from falls or jumps from windows, Robert Ball, a spokesman for Hennepin County Emergency Medical Services, said Wednesday. Officials don’t know whether people jumped out, fell or were pushed out by the explosion.
An explosion was reported about 8:15 a.m., and the building was soon engulfed in flames, officials said.
Photos: Building ices over as firefighters battle blaze
CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield and Carma Hassan contributed to this report.