Senator Wellstone Dies in Iron Range Plane Crash

Fire and EMS personnel respond in force

Senator was very concerned about firefighters

Fire/Rescue and EMS personnel from the Fayal Township/Eveleth area responded in force on the morning of October 25 to a report of a plane overdue on arrival at the Eveleth-Virginia Airport.  The last radar contact with the aircraft was at 10:21 a.m.  Tragically, the twin engine plane, which was carrying U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone and seven others, crashed and burned in wooded area approximately two miles southeast of the airport.  Arriving ambulance and fire personnel found no survivors.  The cockpit and fuselage areas of the plane were extensively damaged, while part of the tail section remained.  Law enforcement officers quickly sealed off the crash area and awaited the arrival of teams from the National Transportation Safety Board(NTSB), FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA).  All terrain vehicles, including heavy track apparatus, provided transportation to and from the site.  Getting to the area was treacherous as personnel had to travel across deep muddy swamps.  Emergency crews remained on the scene for several days, assisting investigators.  The NTSB says it will likely be months before the cause of the crash is determined.  Preliminary reports indicate that the plane was off course when it went into a steep dive and crashed.

Senator Wellstone’s death was considered a major blow to the state’s firefighters and emergency response organizations.  Just over a year ago, the senator attended the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs’ Association meeting in Duluth.  During that meeting, Senator Wellstone learned firsthand of the concerns regarding federal funding for fire departments.  Just a week before his death, he was working on legislation that would have given fire departments “priority status” in obtaining federal excess property.

One of Senator Wellstone’s most notable displays of public appreciation to firefighters came this past summer when he attended the funeral of Esko Fire Captain Kim Granholm.  Esko Fire Chief Jeff Juntunen said Senator Wellstone was deeply concerned about the accident which claimed Granholm’s life and wanted to be in Esko to show his support for the region’s firefighters.

Memorial services for Senator Wellstone, his wife Sheila and the other victims were held in Minneapolis and St. Paul.  At this time, plans are underway for the state’s firefighters to hold a special memorial service to honor Wellstone’s efforts on behalf of fire and rescue personnel.