Columns within single text frame

Is it possible to create columns of text for a partial text selection within a single text frame?

Say I have 10 paragraphs. I want the middle three to be formatted as columns.

I actually have pages of content with threaded text frames and all the text is in a single story. I need to format a few paragraphs in the middle as columns. I can't break the flow in case edits are made elsewhere in the story. Creating a new text box for columns would mean that adding or subtracting content above the column text frame would push or pull the select paragraphs out of the column frame, causing the content to be formatted as columns.