April 18 – Firefighters from three Iron Range fire departments responded this evening to a report of a fire at Cazadores Mexican Cuisine at the Thunderbird Mall in Virginia. The fire was reported around 6:50 p.m. in the kitchen area. Several employees, who were working in the business at the time, safely exited the building. The fire was contained to the stove area. No injuries were reported. Departments responding to the alarm included: Virginia, Mountain Iron, and Eveleth. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Virginia Fire Marshal.

October 12 – Chisholm firefighters battled an early morning attic fire in a four-plex on 2nd Avenue Southwest. The fire was reportedly shortly before 3:00 a.m. The damage was limited to the contents in the attic. Three of the four apartments were occupied at the time. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office. Photo courtesy of the Chisholm Fire Department.

September 23 – An early morning fire has destroyed Wally’s Auto Service in Orr.  The fire was reported around 1:45 a.m.  The business, located on Highway 53, was engulfed in flames when crews arrived.  Firefighters from Orr, Cook, Bois Forte, Crane Lake, and Buyck were on the scene while the Orr Area Ambulance Service provided medical standby.  No injuries were reported.

September 19 – Cook area firefighters were dispatched this morning to a report of a cabin fire at Pehrson’s Lodge, north of Cook. The fire was reported around 7:45 a.m. The fire inside the structure was quickly brought under control. The cabin had extensive smoke and water damage. No injuries were reported. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting in investigating the cause of the fire.

September 20 – The Gnesen and Makinen fire departments will be getting Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Both awards are for Operations and Safety. Gnesen is receiving $91,208 and Makinen will be getting $100,952. The grants were announced today.

September 14 – Firefighters from several departments participated in a “live burn” training exercise today at the former Idington church, on Highway 53, south of Cook. The church had been vacant for years and earlier this year, had been the scene of an arson fire. The training was conducted by AdvancedMinnesota through Mesabi Range College.

September 9 – One person was seriously burned, the result of a garage fire in Virginia this evening.  The blaze was reported around 6:50 p.m. in the 1500 block of 9th Street South.  The injured person was transported to the Virginia hospital, where his condition was unknown.  The garage and an SUV were destroyed while a nearby house had damage to its siding.  Virginia, Mountain Iron, and Eveleth firefighters were on the scene.  The Eveleth Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Virginia Fire Marshal.

September 5 – Three dogs and two cats were killed early this evening in a house fire in Hibbing. The fire was reported around 5:25 p.m. in the 1700 block of 1st Avenue. No one was home at the time. Hibbing fire officials told The Northland Fire Wire that the house was extensively damaged. The Hibbing, Chisholm, and Keewatin fire departments were on the scene. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the blaze. The Hibbing Police Department and Hibbing Public Works Department also assisted. Photo: Cathy Isaacson-Northland Fire Wire.