Two Red Wing women escape Minneapolis duplex fire

A pair of green pajama pants and cowboy boots weren't part of Haley Fleming's preferred attire Tuesday morning, but it was all she could muster given the circumstances.

The Red Wing native had just fled her burning apartment in south Minneapolis.

"As soon as we woke up we had to get out of there as fast as we possibly could," Fleming said Wednesday.

Two other Red Wing natives - Elana Dahlberg and Carolyn Erickson - also lived in the two-story duplex. Only Fleming, her boyfriend and Erickson were home at the time of the fire.

All occupants of the residence made it out alive, though a downstairs resident was hospitalized. Fleming said Erickson was treated for smoke inhalation after attempting to rescue one of her two dogs.

The missing dog was later found dead inside the house.

Fleming said she was awakened around 6 a.m. by her boyfriend, who had discovered the fire. She said he kicked down Erickson's door, alerting her.

All three rushed out a back stairwell as flames consumed the upstairs unit.

By the time they made it outside, the top floor "was just incinerated," Fleming said.

The fire consumed nearly all of the three Red Wing women's possessions.

DeLeon Jewelers was working Wednesday to establish an account or drop-off system for donations.

Co-owner Patti DeLeon - who, along with her husband Guy, is a friend of Dahlberg's family - said more information would be available Thursday.

Other donations were announced on the following websites:

http://www.conniebrockway.com/

http://sarahbethphotography.com/2010/11/16/sad-news-today/

See Saturday's print edition for more on the story.

Tags: house fire, red wing, news, minneapolis