November 15 – A memorial service was held this morning for Lakeland Firefighter/First Responder Dan Hanson, who passed away on Thursday, November 7, after a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer. Dan, age 61, retired from the Virginia Police Department as a lieutenant. He was also a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader. ” Dan was a true public servant,” said Lakeland Fire Chief Mike Plesha. “He was always willing to help someone out.” The memorial service was held at Our Saviors Lutheran in Aurora.

November 15- A late night fire in rural Hibbing resulted in the loss of a garage. The fire was reported around 10: 00 p.m. in 11,000 block of Townline Road. The Hibbing, Chisholm, Keewatin, and Virginia fire departments were dispatched to the blaze. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Hibbing Fire Marshal’s Office.

November 15 – Multiple agencies responded late this afternoon to a report of a ultralight aircraft crash in Fayal Township, near Eveleth. The incident was reported around 5:30 p.m. in a heavily wooded and swampy area near the Ely Lake Airport and Seaplane Base. For awhile, the lone pilot was trapped in the downed aircraft. Crews from the St. Louis County Rescue Squad, Fayal Fire Department, and Eveleth Fire Department, along with EMS personnel from Eveleth and Virginia were involved in the search and rescue efforts. Law enforcement officers from Minnesota DNR, Eveleth Police Department, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and Minnesota State Patrol also responded. A Lifelink medical helicopter was on standby at the seaplane base. The pilot, who is from Fayal Township, was transported by ambulance to the Essentia-Virginia hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

November 9 – Fire destroyed a garage in Embarrass Township this evening. The fire was reported around 11:00 p.m. in the 7100 block of the Salmela Road. Firefighters from six departments (Embarrass, Babbitt, Pike-Sandy-Britt, Aurora, Biwabik, Vermilion Lake) were involved in fighting the fire. No injuries were reported. The Babbitt Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

November 8 – McDavitt, Clinton, Cherry, and Central Lakes firefighters battled a trailer house fire in McDavitt Township this evening. The fire was reported around 9:40 p.m. in the 8400 block of the Zim Road. The trailer house was engulfed in flames when crews arrived and is considered a total.loss. No injuries were reported. The cause of the blaze is under investigation by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

November 4 – Ten northeastern Minnesota fire departments were dispatched this morning to a fire at Lamppa Manufacturing in Tower. The fire was reported around 8:30 a.m. with initial reports that the fire was in a wall near a welding booth. Crews from Tower, Breitung Township, Greenwood Township, Vermilion Lake, Eagles Nest, Embarrass, Pike-Sandy-Britt, Babbitt, Ely, and Virginia were all dispatched. The Ely and Virginia departments responded with their aerial ladder trucks after a report that the fire may have spread into the attic area of the large manufacturing building. The fire was contained to an inside wall and an outside wall. The entire building was filled with smoke. No injuries were reported. The Tower Ambulance Service provided medical standby and firefighter rehabilitation at the scene. The Breitung Police Department assisted in traffic control by shutting down a portion of State Highway 135.

October 24 – Two men are dead, the result of a two pick-up truck crash this morning in the Britt area. The incident was around 8:50 a.m. In the 9100 block of the Biss Road. The lone drivers (ages 69 and 76) were pronounced dead at the scene. EMS and fire personnel from Pike-Sandy-Britt and Virginia were on the scene. A Life Link medical helicopter was also dispatched while a member of the Gilbert Fire Department assisted with traffic control. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and the Minnesota State Patrol continue to investigate the crash. The names of the victims have not been released pending the notification of relatives.

October 21 – Around a dozen storage units were destroyed and extensively damaged by an early morning fire in Hibbing. Crews from Hibbing, Keewatin, Chisholm, and Virginia were dispatched to the 800 block of 41st Street East around 1:10 a.m. The blaze was so intense that it melted the siding of the nearby Timberline Lodge. No injuries were reported and the Hibbing Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

October 17 – Chisholm, Hibbing, and French Township firefighters battled a garage fire tonight in Chisholm. The blaze was reported around 9:00 p.m. in the 600 block of 13th Street Northwest. The garage was engulfed in flames with the fire spreading to the nearby home. The garage was a total loss with the house extensively damaged, and likely a total loss as well. No injuries were reported. The Chisholm Ambulance Service provided medical standby and firefighter rehabilitation at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.