On Sunday, October 26, more than 1,500 residents of Skyline Tower were forced to evacuate their homes after a fire and electrical failure left the 25-story apartment building uninhabitable. What began as a small fire on the 12th floor quickly escalated into one of the largest emergency responses in recent city history.
Saint Paul Fire officials say the initial call came in after 10 p.m. Firefighters arrived within minutes and quickly extinguished a blaze that had activated the building’s sprinkler system. But just seven minutes later, a second call came in—this time reporting a full electrical failure. A 3,000-amp electrical bus on the same floor had malfunctioned, triggering sprinklers across the 12th, 13th, and 14th floors and knocking out power to the entire building. The outage disabled elevators, fire alarms, heating systems, potable water, and the building’s fire suppression system—leaving the high-rise unsafe for occupancy.
Because of the total loss of functionality, the city’s Department of Safety and Inspections revoked the building’s certificate of occupancy, prompting a coordinated evacuation effort that involved more than a dozen city departments and community partners. Mayor Melvin Carter called the situation “a relatively minor fire that ultimately caused major disruptions.” Carter said the city acted quickly to ensure residents were relocated safely and with dignity. “This instantly required us to work closely with CommonBond [Communities] and other partners,” Carter said. “We were able to place approximately 500 individuals in hotels, and all of the other residents with relatives or other caregivers.”
Carter praised the swift collaboration of Saint Paul Fire, Saint Paul Police, Public Works, Emergency Management, Parks and Recreation, and the Department of Safety and Inspections. “Moving people throughout a 25-story building without use of the elevator is a major undertaking,” he said. “This was truly an all-hands-on-deck effort.” Metro Transit and Metro Mobility provided transportation for residents, while the Salvation Army, Red Cross, and other organizations assisted with temporary lodging and basic needs.
Skyline Tower, located on Saint Anthony Avenue in the city’s Midway neighborhood, is one of Minnesota’s largest affordable housing complexes and home to many immigrant and refugee families. The building, managed by CommonBond Communities, houses more than 500 units of federally subsidized housing. Deidre Schmidt, president and CEO of CommonBond, said that while no residents were injured, the damage is extensive and restoration will take time. “We have relocated all residents and are working closely with the city to restore power, heat, and water,” Schmidt said. “Our priority is making sure everyone has a safe place to stay and the support they need during this transition. I’m pleased that there were no injuries, and deeply grateful to our partners who responded with such urgency and care.”
Schmidt added that more than 100 units sustained water damage from sprinkler activation. Contractors are currently assessing the electrical system and mechanical components before the building can reopen. State Representative Samakab Hussein, who grew up in Skyline Tower, visited the scene and commended the collaboration between city officials and community partners. “We showed up early this morning, and the city and the state made sure that everybody was transferred to a safe place,” Hussein said. “People were able to go to their families or stay in hotels, and CommonBond did a phenomenal job.”
City officials said they are working to ensure displaced residents receive ongoing support in the days ahead. Emergency shelters have been set up for those unable to return home, and multilingual staff are on hand to assist residents with housing, health, and transportation needs. “Our city’s response doesn’t end when the fire is out,” Mayor Carter said. “We’re committed to helping every single resident of Skyline Tower get through this and back home as soon as possible.”
CommonBond has established a dedicated Skyline Tower Emergency Response Fund to assist families displaced by the fire. Donations will help cover essentials such as temporary housing, meals, transportation, and replacement of personal belongings lost due to water damage. Officials have not yet determined when residents will be able to return. The Department of Safety and Inspections will need to verify that electrical, water, and fire suppression systems are fully restored before the building’s occupancy certificate can be reinstated.
While the disruption has been massive, city leaders and residents alike emphasized a sense of community in the midst of crisis. “Saint Paul has always been a city that shows up for one another,” Carter said. “And that’s exactly what we saw here today.”