Fire Ravages Duluth Apartment Complex

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“I don’t wish this upon anybody,” Applewood Knoll resident Jessica Petersen said.

Plumes of smoke escaped Applewood Knoll apartments as fire ravaged the inside the three story building.

“Scared, nervous, just that was almost us,” said Petersen.

About 30 Duluth Fire Fighters fought the blaze for hours.

“Trying to keep the fire out of the west end of the building,” Duluth Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Eric Simonson said.

They knocked down walls and doused the flames with gushing water hoses in the air and on the ground.

“We don’t know what the exact cause of the fire was yet,” said Simonson.

Crews tell FOX 21 the flames are hard to contain because responders cannot get inside of the building and put out some of those hidden pockets of fire.

“We have such extensive damage on the inside of the building on that one side,” said Simonson. “It’s really hard to get inside and access those.”

The heavy east wind also gave fire fighters a good fight.

“We just make sure we keep everybody hydrated and keeping switching crews out,” said Simonson.

“We seen the smoke coming and we walked outside and the whole building was engulfed in flames,” said Petersen.

This happening as she was preparing Easter dinner for her family.

“You see this stuff all the time but you never think that it would happen to you,” said Petersen.

Petersen along with dozens of other families are potentially left without a home.

“I’ m gonna go stay at a friend’s house tonight and figure it out from there,” said Petersen.

Black and white smoke could be seen from miles away.

“Oh my God you know how did this happen” said Jerrie Koskela.

The scene naturally drew in the crowds.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to them too for what’s going on here,” said Koskela.

Fire officials tell FOX 21 multiple people were transported for smoke inhalation.

All of the residents were accounted for.