Staff photo by Fritz Busch Debris from a late-night fire is scattered in the grass outside Linderhof Park Apartments Tuesday. The New Ulm Fire Department was dispatched to the north apartment building for a fire at 11:40 p.m. Monday. All building residents were safety evacuated.

NEW ULM — Nobody was injured in a late-night fire that displaced a number of Linderhof Park Apartment residents Monday.

The New Ulm Fire Department was dispatched to the northeast building of the apartment complex at 11:40 p.m.

Upon arrival, firefighters reported smoke on the second floor. Fire and police personnel evacuated the building, according to a fire department press release.

Apartment resident Ryan Roe described what happened.

“There was loud thunder. I guess it hit a roof vent and started a fire in the laundry room. Then I heard pounding on the door by the fire department. Everybody was evacuated in the building. I live on the other side of the building from the fire but there was smoke coming from the top of the building,” he said.

“Police helped us get everybody out. All the building smoke alarms were working,” said New Ulm Fire Chief Paul Macho.

The fire was located in the second floor laundry room and extended from the laundry room to the attic. Damage was moderate to the laundry room and attic, according to the release.

Firefighters were on scene for about two and a half hours.

Displaced residents were assisted by the Red Cross, Brown County Emergency Management and Heartland Express Buses.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Macho said displaced residents were put up at a local hotel.