The Northland FireWire

April 25-26 – Twenty three members of Minnesota Task Force 2 took part in an Operational Readiness Exercise at the Regional Emergency All-Climate Training Center (REACT) at Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. Task Force 2 participated in a wide range of ”hands-on” rescue scenarios. Minnesota Task Force 2 consists of personnel from the Duluth, Virginia, and Minnesota Air National Guard 148th fire departments. The team has the resources to respond to a variety of incidents including: building collapses, trench rescues, and high level rope rescues. Minnesota Task Force 2 was activated when a partial roof collapse occurred in March at the Miller Hill Mall in Duluth. Photos: Minnesota Task Force 2

May 17 – Ely and Babbitt firefighters were paged out around 1:30 this afternoon to a roof fire at the Ely-Bloomenson Hospital. The incident was reported around 1:30 when the hospital’s maintenance staff spotted the fire. The hospital’s emergency operations plan was quickly put into action, resulting in the evacuation of non-critical employees. Essential operations remained intact during the incident and no patients at the hospital and adjacent skilled nursing facility were evacuated. Ely firefighters confined the fire to an area around an auxiliary generator exhaust stack, Sixteen Ely firefighters responded with a ladder truck, engine, and a rapid response engine. The Babbitt Fire Department was cancelled while enroute. The cause of the fire was linked to insulation around the generator stack. The auxiliary generator was undergoing a routine test just before the fire was discovered.

May 17 – Three Iron Range fire departments (Fayal, Eveleth, Gilbert) responded to a house fire tonight in Fayal Township. The fire was reported around 8:00 P.M. in the 4400 block of Woodland Boulevard West. Firefighters quickly contained the fire to a second floor bedroom. No injuries were reported. The cause is under investigation.

May 14 – Hibbing firefighter/paramedics had a rather unique rescue this morning. The incident, reported around 7:40, was in the 100 block of 4th Street in the Kitzville area. A deflated weather balloon was discovered in a tree. Fire crews quickly retrieved the balloon, along with the attached equipment. The balloon popped about a week ago and had been reported as missing.

May 4 – Four firefighting organizations (Hibbing, Silica, Minnesota DNR) were involved in fighting a large wildland fire this afternoon south of Hibbing The fire was reported around 2:30 P.M. on the South Butler Road. About 50 acres were involved. No injuries were reported. The cause is under investigation.

May 3 – Firefighters on the eastern side of the Mesabi Iron Range were kept busy tonight with two structure fires within half an hour of each other. The first was a garage fire reported around 7:05 P.M. on Highway 100 in Aurora. The Aurora, Hoyt Lakes, and Lakeland fire departments responded. The garage and several vehicles were extensively damaged. Then, around 7:20 P.M. a house fire was reported in the 5400 block of Poplar Street in Aurora. The Aurora, Palo, and City of Biwabik fire departments responded, along with the Hoyt Lakes Ambulance. Arriving crews found flames in the basement with the fire extending to the outside of the house. The fire was quickly knocked down. No injuries were reported at either blaze. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating both fires.

April 30 – A garage and two vehicle parked nearby were destroyed yesterday afternoon as the result of a fire on Highway 1 near the Ely Airport. The fire was reported around 4:45 P.M. Morse-Fall Lake and Babbitt firefighters responded to the call. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

April 28 – The Virginia, Mountain Iron, Eveleth, and Hibbing fire departments were dispatched this evening to a report of a structure fire in Virginia. The fire was reported shortly after 6:00 P.M. in the 900 block of 5th Avenue South. Firefighters quickly contained the fire to an area around a stove in an apartment on the second floor of the four-plex. No injuries were reported, but four occupants were displaced and are receiving assistance through the Northland Chapter of the American Red Cross. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

April 28 – Nine fire department battled a large house fire in Breitung Township today. The blaze was reported by a passerby around 6:05 A.M. in the 5300 block of the Junction Road. The fire, which is believed to have started in the basement, quickly spread to the rest of house. Fire departments on the scene included: Breitung, Tower, Greenwood, Eagles Nest, Ely, Embarrass, Pike-Sandy-Britt, Vermilion Lake and Morse-Fall Lake. The Tower Area Ambulance Service (TAAS) provided medical standby at the scene. No injuries were reported. The house is a total loss. A Breitung Fire Department official said the cause of the fire is undetermined because of the massive extent of damages.

April 26 – Fayal Township, Eveleth, Mountain Iron, Gilbert, Lakeland and the City of Biwabik participated at an aircraft firefighting course hosted at the Fayal Fire Department. The live fire training involved several scenarios, allowing participants to sharpen their skills. The training was conducted by ARFF Specialists of Carlton. The Eveleth Ambulance Service provided medical standby.