The Northland FireWire

February 26- The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office have ruled that Sunday’s fatal house fire in Morse Township was accidental. According to a media release, the fire started near the fireplace inside the residence. An elderly person died in the blaze. Ely. Morse-Fall Lake, Ely, and Babbitt firefighters were dispatched to the 1400 block of Grant-McMahan Boulevard around 1:20 P.M. Arriving firefighters attempted to search for a person who was reportedly inside the house, but were unsuccessful. The person’s body was later discovered in the remains of the burned house. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office is working on the positive identification of the person.

As a public service, The Northland Fire Wire offers FREE want ads to fire departments in the Arrowhead Region of northeastern Minnesota. For more information: nlfirewireeditor@yahoo.com. You can also text us at: 218-749-7600.

Several fire departments in southern St. Louis County were busy battling a structure fire in Gnesen Township this afternoon. Below is a news release from the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department.

February 21 – A large machinery shed in Clinton Township was destroyed by fire this morning. The blaze was reported around 9:10 in the 9300 block of the Iron Junction Road. The building was engulfed in flames and smoke when Clinton firefighters first arrived. Several large pieces of farm equipment were destroyed. No injuries were reported. The Clinton, Cherry, Mountain Iron, and Kinney-Great Scott fire departments were on the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Here’s a reminder from the Arrowhead Regional Firefighters’ Association. The website for the Minnesota Department of Revenue is: www.revenue.state.mn.us.

Check out this training opportunity offered by Minnesota North-Customized Training. For more information, contact Minnesota North College Customized Training at: 218-293-6926.

The Northland Fire Wire extends its sympathy to the City of Burnsville on Sunday’s loss of two police officers and a fire department paramedic during a domestic assault call in Burnsville.

February 16 – A vehicle fire this evening on U.S. Highway 53 in Virginia closed down the northbound lanes for a short time. The Virginia Fire Department was dispatched to the call around 7:00 P.M. near 2nd Avenue South. No injuries were reported. The SUV was extensively damaged.

February 16 – Four fire departments (Cherry, Clinton, Toivola, Kelsey) were dispatched to the Cherry School near State Highway 37 this afternoon when an air handling unit malfunctioned and filled two classrooms with smoke. The incident was reported around 2:20 P.M. According to fire department officials, the malfunction may have been caused by a power surge from a downed power line located about two miles from the school on County Road 452. The school was safely evacuated and no injuries were reported.