March 17 – The former Staver Foundry, which stood vacant for a number years, was extensively damaged by fire yesterday afternoon. The call came in at 2:40 p.m. The building is located along 1st Avenue West and 10th Street South. At the height of the fire, eight area fire departments were called in while the Eveleth and Hibbing ambulance services assisted with EMS calls. A backhoe was also brought in to assist in the firefighting effort. Investigators from the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Virginia Fire Department went through the remains of the building today in an effort to determine a cause. There were no reports of any injuries. The building was considered a total loss.
