March 3 – Pike-Sandy-Britt firefighters were dispatched to a vehicle fire on U.S. Highway 53, about 15 miles north of Virginia. The fire was.reported shortly before 4:00 p.m. The SUV was a total loss. No injuries were reported. The cause is under investigation.

February 21 – The Vermilion Lake and Pike-Sandy-Britt fire departments, along with the Tower Ambulance Service, were dispatched this afternoon to a report of a fuel oil truck rollover on State Highway 169 in Pike Township, southwest of Tower. The incident was reported shortly before 3:20. Fire officials said the truck driver tried to avoid a UTV which had come off a trailer. The fuel truck went into the ditch and rolled on its side. The driver received minor injuries. Little, if any fuel oil was spilled. Fire crews cleared the scene around 7:00 p.m.

February 18 – Over half a dozen fire departments battled a large garage fire this afternoon in the Central Lakes area, south of Eveleth. The blaze was reported around 5:15 in the 7400 block of the Wilson Road. The garage was engulfed in flames when the first crews arrived. One person was transported to the Virginia hospital by the Eveleth Ambulance for smoke inhalation. Fire departments responding to the fire included: Central Lakes, Colvin, Makinen, Lakeland, Fayal, Eveleth, Clinton, Ellsburg, and Palo. St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department officials said the blaze started accidentally when gasoline ignited as the building’s wood stove was being lit.

January 10 – Virginia, Eveleth, Hibbing, and Mountain Iron firefighters battled a house fire this evening in Virginia. The fire, called in around 7:50 a.m., in the 1200 block of 11th Street South, was originally reported as a grease fire. Arriving firefighters discovered that the blaze had spread into the kitchen cabinets and attic. While the fire was quickly knocked down, crews remained on the scene check for fire extension. All of the occupants were able to safely evacuate the house. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

January 7 – Four people were injured, the result of an early morning house fire in Biwabik Township. The fire was reported around 5:00 a.m. in the 4800 block of the Vermilion Trail. According to a news release from the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department, the occupants were awakened when smoke alarms in the house started sounding. All of the residents were able to safely evacuate the house. Ambulances from Biwabik, Hoyt Lakes, and Virginia transported the occupants to medical facilities (two with serious injuries and two with minor injuries). The home and multiple buildings were destroyed. Fire departments responding to the fire included: Biwabik Township, Biwabik, Lakeland, Fayal Township, Gilbert, Palo, Colvin Township, Aurora, and Makinen. The Biwabik Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene. The cause of fire is being investigated by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office. Preliminary reports say the fire was not suspicious in nature.

February 6 – 57 year old Matthew Bisbee from the Orr area was killed this morning when fire swept through his home in Leiding Township. The fire was reported around 6:50 a.m. in the 3500 block of County Road 119. Bisbee”s wife was able to escape the blaze, but he could not be accounted for. A number of dogs also perished in the fire. Fire departments from Cook, Orr, Bois Forte, Crane Lake, French Township, Kabetogama, and Bearville responded while the Orr Ambulance provided medical standby at the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department.

A memorial service to honor the life and community service of Embarrass Fire Chief Tom Martin will be held Saturday, February 1, 2:00 p.m. at the Timber Hall Event Center on County Highway 21 in Embarrass. Martin, who served on the Embarrass Region Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, died on December 28 following a courageous battle with cancer.

January 29 – Firefighters from Eveleth, Fayal Township, Virginia, Mountain Iron and Gilbert were paged late this morning to a report of a possible house fire in Eveleth. The incident was reported around 11:20 a.m. in the 300 block of Monroe Street. Eveleth police officers, who were the first to arrive, contained the fire to a reclining chair with fire extinguishers while the occupant of the house had already evacuated the home. No injuries were reported. The Eveleth Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene. The fire apparently started from a cigarette that had fallen into the chair.

The Hibbing Fire Department responded to 3,727 total calls in 2024. According to Hibbing Fire officials, 3,263 of the calls involved EMS responses while the remaining 464 calls were fire related. In 2023, Hibbing EMS and fire personnel responded to 3,478 total calls (3,038-EMS/443-fire).

The Virginia Fire Department also had a busy 2024 with 4,774 total calls (4,187-EMS/587-fire). In 2023, Virginia crews went on 4,661 total calls.