December 31 – The Hibbing, Keewatin, Chisholm, and Virginia fire departments were dispatched around 7:30 this evening to a fire alarm at L & M Radiator on 37th Street in Hibbing. Arriving Hibbing firefighters discovered a fire in a paint booth in the production area of the facility. The building’s sprinkler system contained the fire to the paint booth area. The remaining fire was quickly extinguished by firefighters, although a large part of the building was filled with smoke. Hibbing and Keewatin firefighters were on the scene while the Chisholm and Virginia fire departments were cancelled while enroute. No injuries were reported and no damage estimate is available. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damages were estimated around $5,000.

December 31 – Four Iron Range fire departments were on the scene of an early morning house fire in Hibbing. The blaze was reported shortly before 6:00 a.m. in the 3300 block of the Bunker Road. Arriving firefighters found the house already engulfed in flames. The unoccupied house is a total loss. No injuries were reported. Fire departments on the scene included: Hibbing, Cherry, Clinton, and Virginia. The Silica and Toivola fire departments were also dispatched, but were cancelled while enroute. The cause of the fire has been ruled suspicious as the house was vacant and had no power. The investigation is being conducted by the Hibbing Fire Marshal and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office. Those with any information about the fire are asked to call Hibbing Fire Marshal Rossi Gangl at: 218-421-3942.

December 27- Cooking fires are the leading cause of residential fires and home fire injuries. Each year, fire departments across the United States respond to an estimated average of nearly 188,000 cooking fires in residential buildings. These fires also cause an estimated 165 deaths and 3,330 injuries. Cooking fires can be prevented. Never leave your stove or cooktop unattended while cooking. Keep your cooking area clean and free of combustible materials. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. By following these few tips, everyone can prevent a cooking fire from occurring and therefore eliminate a needless tragedy.

December 22 – The Ely and Babbitt fire departments battled a house fire in Ely this afternoon. The fire was reported around 3:55 p.m. in the 1400 block of East White Street. Damages were contained to the kitchen area and the attic. No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation. The Ely Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene.

December 24-Several Iron Range fire departments were dispatched early this morning to a house fire in rural Mountain Iron. The fire was reported around 3:20 a.m. in the 9200 block of former Highway 169 in the Kinross area. The home was partially engulfed in flames when the first crews arrived. No injuries were reported, but the home received extensive damage. Fire departments on the scene included: Mountain Iron, Virginia, Fayal, Kinney-Great Scott, and Pike-Sandy-Britt. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

December 6 – Virginia, Eveleth, Mountain Iron, and Hibbing firefighters battled a fire this evening at a group home in Virginia. The fire was reported around 7:35 p.m. at the Grandview Residence, located in the 900 block of 13th Street South. Arriving Virginia fire crews found heavy smoke coming from the structure. Four residents and two care providers were able to safely evacuate the facility before fire crews arrived. The fire was quickly located and extinguished, however the home did have extensive smoke damage. No injuries were reported and all of the residents were relocated to other group homes. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Virginia Fire Marshal’s Office. Grandview is operated by Northern Habilitative Services (NHS), which is headquartered in Chisholm.

December 6 – A late night fire destroyed a trailer home in the Ely area. Morse-Fall Lake and Ely firefighters were called to the blaze on the Snowbank Lake Beach Road. Arriving firefighters found that the roof of the double-wide trailer house had already collapsed in. The home is considered a total loss. No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

With the region getting various amounts of snow, here’s a great way to help our area firefighters.

November 27 – An early morning fire caused extensive damage to a home in Morse Township, south of Ely. The Morse-Fall Lake, Ely, and Babbitt fire departments were paged around 3:30 a.m. to the 1100 block of St. Louis County Highway 21. The building was already gulfed in flames and heavy smoke when the first crews arrived. Morse-Fall Lake Fire Chief Ted Krueger told The Northland Fire Wire on the scene that the fire appeared to have started in the basement of the large house and then spread through the entire structure. Several floors had burned through, making firefighting efforts extremely dangerous. No injuries were reported and two people at the home at the time were able to escape. The Eagles Nest Fire Department was also called in to provide water to the fire scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.