December 12 – A rural Mountain Iron home was destroyed by fire this afternoon. The blaze was reported around 12:00 p.m. in the 4700 block of the Butler Road. The house had flames and heavy smoke coming from the windows when crews arrived. Water tenders from the Mountain Iron, Clinton, Fayal, and Cherry fire departments were used to bring water to the scene, while the Virginia Fire Department’s Squad 1 was the primary fire attack apparatus. No injuries were reported. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire. The American Red Cross is assisting the occupant of the home.

December 7 – Six Iron Range fire departments spent this afternoon and early evening battling a house fire in Fayal Township. The fire was reported shortly after 3:30 p.m. on the Burke Road. Arriving Fayal firefighters discovered smoke coming from the roof of the house. Interior firefighting operations were started, but the fire at one point managed to break through the rear roof area. No injuries were reported. Firefighters from Fayal Township, Eveleth, Gilbert, Biwabik Township, Lakeland, and Central Lakes were dispatched to the blaze and the Eveleth Ambulance Service provided medical standby. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

November 27 – The Hibbing, Chisholm, Keewatin, and Virginia fire departments were dispatched this evening to a fire in one of the buildings at the Greenhaven Apartment Complex in Hibbing. The fire, which was reported around 9:15 p.m., was in an apartment in the 3100 Building, located on 6th Avenue East. The blaze, which was initially called in as a grease fire on a stove, spread to the kitchen and living room areas. Arriving Hibbing firefighters quickly knocked down the fire. Hibbing Fire officials told The Northland Fire Wire that the apartment was extensively damaged. The fire also impacted other residents in the four plex as electricity and gas to the building had to be shut off. No injuries were reported. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

November 19 – Hibbing Battalion Chief Matt Ashmore has been named Fire Chief of the Cloquet Area Fire District. Ashmore, a native of Eveleth, Minnesota, will start his new position on November 30th.

November 18 – A home in the Toivola-Meadowlands area was destroyed this afternoon. The blaze was reported in the 8100 block of St. Louis County Highway 7. No injuries were reported, but a family cat perished. Departments on the scene included: Toivola, Meadowlands, Alborn, Cotton, McDavitt, Ellsburg, Grand Lake, and Kelsey. The Meadowlands Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene.

November 18 – A shed near Buhl was destroyed this morning by fire. The Kinney-Great Scott and Buhl fire departments were dispatched around 8:10 a.m. to the Morse Road, just off of Highway 169. The shed was a total loss. No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation.

November 17 – Several Iron Range fire departments were dispatched around 9:30 this morning to a structure fire in rural Hibbing. The fire was in the 11000 block of Highway 37, directly across from the Range Regional Airport. Hibbing Fire officials told The Northland Fire Wire that the fire was contained to some contents and the damage was minimal. The fire did not spread to the structure itself. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The incident did force the closing of Highway 37 for a short period of time. In addition to Hibbing, other fire departments dispatched to the scene included: Chisholm, Keewatin, Virginia, and Clinton.

November 16 – Half a dozen Iron Range fire departments were dispatched this afternoon to a report of a fire in the lower level at the Virginia Public Utilities power plant. The fire was reported around 2:45 p.m. with initial reports that three to four employees were unaccounted for. Virginia firefighters quickly located the employees, who were safely. A small fire was discovered and quickly extinguished. No injuries were reported. Fire departments responding to the fire included: Virginia, Eveleth, Mountain Iron, Hibbing, Gilbert, and Pike-Sandy-Britt. “This could have been a major incident,” said Virginia Fire Chief Allen Lewis. “Because this is a large building with a number of potential hazards, it was best that we initially called in more resources.” The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Virginia Fire Marshal.

November 1 – At least two Hibbing businesses were extensively damaged by fire this morning. The blaze was reported shortly after 9:30 a.m. in the 400 block of Howard Street East in downtown Hibbing. The fire reportedly broke out above Jacobson Family Dentistry. Hibbing firefighters began an interior attack, but were forced to go to a defensive attack. A man and woman received burns in the fire and were treated at the Hibbing hospital and then transported to the Twin Cities for further treatment. The fire also caused damage to Mike’s Pub, located next door to the dental building. The Hibbing, Virginia, and Grand Rapids fire departments responded with their aerial ladder apparatus. Other departments on the scene included: Keewatin, Chisholm, Nashwauk, Cherry, and Silica. The Fayal Fire Department provided rehabilitation services at the scene. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office has been called in to investigate the cause of the fire.