February 5 – Two people were transported by ambulance to the Virginia hospital, the result of a house fire in rural Mountain Iron. Fire crews were dispatched to the 5600 block of Oriole Avenue around 1:10 p.m. Arriving firefighters saw heavy smoke and flames coming for the house. Fire departments on the scene included: Mountain Iron, Virginia, Fayal, Pike-Sandy-Britt, Kinney-Great Scott, Clinton, and Cherry. Information about those transported and treated at the hospital is not available. Another person was evaluated at the scene for smoke inhalation. The house is considered a total loss. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

February 4 – Firefighters from Hibbing, Chisholm, Keewatin, and Virginia were dispatched this evening to a house fire in Hibbing. The fire was reported around 9:20 in the 2500 block of 13th Avenue East. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze to the first floor of the home. No one was home at the time and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation with assistance from the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

February 2 – Five fire departments (Orr, Cook, Buyck, Nett Lake, Crane Lake) battled a house fire in Willow Valley Township near Orr. The fire was reported around 1:40 pm in the 10,000 block of the Willow Valley Road. The house is a considered a complete loss. No injuries were reported. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

With cold weather in our region, our heating systems need to be operating at peak efficiency! A major concern during the winter heating season is the presence of Carbon Monoxide. Your area fire departments want to remind you of the dangers of this silent killer. Avoid a tragedy and make sure to install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms.

Five members from Minnesota Task Force 2 were recently in Wisconsin to participate in confined space rescue training. The training was conducted at the REACT (Regional Emergency All Climate Training) Center, which is located at Camp Douglas, Wisconsin. The five participants, four from the Virginia Fire Department and one from the Duluth Fire Department, engaged in a number of confined space scenarios. ”The scenarious were challenging,” said Virginia Deputy Fire Chief Erik Jonassen. ”We certainly learned a lot from this training.” The REACT Center is considered one of the premier emergency response training facilities in the country. Minnesota Task Force 2 is a specialized urban search and rescue team made up of personnel from the Virginia, Duluth, and Minnesota Air National Guard 148th fire departments.

Cancer is a leading cause of death of firefighters. Cancer can be prevented and help is available for those who have it. In Minnesota, we have MnFIRE.

January 7 – Six fire departments (Clinton, Cherry, McDavitt, Fayal, Central Lakes, Mountain Iron) battled a garage and house fire in Clinton Township this morning. The fire was reported around 5:45 in the 8400 block of the Wildland Road. Arriving firefighters found the attached garage engulfed in flames with the blaze spreading to the house. The garage is a total loss, with the home having extensive damage. No injuries were reported and the lone occupant of the home was able to safely evacuate the residence, according to a Clinton Fire Department official. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

Here’s a really great New Year’s Resolution for everyone. Practice Fire Safety every day. Be careful when cooking! Test your smoke and CO alarms monthly. Use caution with all kinds of fire from wood stoves camp fires. Let’s all work together to prevent fire tragedies in 2023,