April 19 – Firefighters from three Iron Range fire departments were paged this morning to a backhoe fire at Hibbing Taconite. The incident was reported around 10:15 a.m. The Hibbing Taconite Fire Brigade was able to bring the fire under control. The backhoe had extensive damage. No injuries were reported. Those departments dispatched to the fire included: Hibbing, Chisholm, and Town of French. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

April 17 – Hibbing, Chisholm, and Keewatin firefighters were dispatched late tonight to a report of a fire in the 400 block of East Howard Street in downtown Hibbing. The incident was reported around 11:15 p.m. Arriving crews determined it was a chimney fire. No injuries were reported. The fire is being investigated by the Hibbing Fire Marshal’s Office.

April 14-Firefighters from six Iron Range departments battled a large house fire in Virginia this afternoon. The blaze was reported shortly after 12:00 p.m. in the 1000 block of 6th Avenue North. The three story house was extensively damaged. No injuries were reported. Fire departments on the scene included: Virginia, Mountain Iron, Eveleth, Gilbert, Fayal Township, and Pike-Sandy-Britt. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting the Virginia Fire Department in determining the cause of the fire.

March 14- One person was treated for smoke inhalation as the result of an early morning house fire in Hibbing. The fire was reported around 5:00 a.m. in the 1900 block of 7th Avenue East. All of the occupants were able to safely evacuate the home. Firefighters from Hibbing, Chisholm, Keewatin, and Virginia were dispatched to the blaze. No other injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

February 18 – Hibbing and Keewatin firefighters were on the scene of a house fire in Hibbing this morning. The fire was reported around 7:00 a.m. in the 2100 block of 2nd Avenue West. The fire damaged a back porch, wall, and the attic area. All of the residents were able to safely exit the home. No injuries were reported. The Hibbing Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

February 18 – Eight people from two families were displaced as a result of an early morning house fire in Ely. The blaze was reported around 1:00 a.m. on White Street. All of residents were safely evacuated, but one occupant was taken to the Ely hospital for treatment of possible smoke inhalation. A Babbitt firefighter received a wrist injury after slipping and falling on the ice. Firefighters from Ely, Babbitt, and Morse-Fall Lake were dispatched to the fire. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The Northland Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting those occupants impacted by the fire.

Submitted photo

February 8 – Firefighters from several Iron Range departments were kept busy this afternoon at a stubborn chimney fire in Biwabik Township. The fire was reported on Sandy Lane. Crews from Biwabik Township, Lakeland, Gilbert, and Fayal Township battled the fire. Fire officials told The Northland Fire Wire that there was some fire and water damage around the chimney area. No injuries were reported.

February 2 – Firefighters from several Iron Range communities were dispatched this evening to a house fire in Eveleth. The fire was reported around 7:45 p.m. in the 800 block of Adams Avenue. Initial dispatches said the fire started in the kitchen area and spread to rest of the house. Arriving crews saw smoke and flames coming from one of the windows. Departments responding to the blaze included: Eveleth, Virginia, Fayal Township, Mountain Iron and Gilbert. No injuries were reported. The home had extensive damage. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office has been called in to investigate the fire.

December 31- EMS and fire personnel from several Iron Range communities were dispatched to the Fitzgerald Nursing Home in Eveleth this morning. A number of residents were impacted by carbon monoxide, with five (two patients and three staff) being transported to Essentia Health-Virginia. Ambulances from Eveleth, Virginia, Hibbing and Biwabik were paged to the facility, along with firefighters from Eveleth and Fayal Township. The incident was reported around 8:20 a.m. The source of the carbon monoxide was believed to be a generator at the building.

December 31 – Ely fire officials have released additional details regarding last Wednesday’s fire at the Grahek Apartments in Ely and the death of 70 year old David Cashman. An investigation involving the Ely Fire Department, Ely Police Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office determined that Cashman died from a medical condition prior to the start of the fire. Cashman’s body was discovered shortly after Ely firefighters knocked down the blaze in his apartment. The cause of the fire was determined to be smoking materials and ruled accidental. Ely firefighters, Ely ambulance personnel and law enforcement officers were able to quickly evacuate the apartment building’s residents to the nearby Ely-Bloomenson Hospital shortly after the fire was called in. No other injuries were reported. The Babbitt and Morse-Fall Lake fire departments were also dispatched. Ely fire officials reminded area residents to have a fire escape plan, as well as working smoke detectors.