The Northland FireWire

The Makinen Fire Department will hold its annual Smelt Fry, Rummage, Bake and Craft Sale on Sunday, May 6, from 10:30 am-4:00pm.  The event will be held at the Makinen Community Center, located on County Highway 16 in Makinen.  The center is located about six miles east of Highway 53 or six miles west of St. Louis County Highway 4.  For more information, call 218-744-4268.

January 23 – A spectacular early morning fire destroyed or damaged five structures near downtown Virginia.  Virginia and Mountain Iron firefighters were dispatched just after 5:00 a.m. to a report of smoke and flames coming from the Grande Ace Hardware warehouse located on Railroad Avenue and 2nd Street South.  The blaze quickly spread to another warehouse, a mini storage building, a house and a garage apartment.  Firefighters from Eveleth, Gilbert, Fayal Township. Clinton Township, Cherry Township, Pike-Sandy-Britt, Kinney-Great Scott and U.S. Steel were also dispatched to the scene.  No injuries were reported, but damages were expected to exceed $500,000.  Four people were displaced by the fire.  The cause of the blaze is under investigation by the Virginia Police Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Photos by Mike Zadra of The Northland FireWire

January 20 – A Fayal Township man died when a late afternoon fire consumed his garage.  The victim was identified as 61 year old Gary Peritz.  The fire was reported in the 4500 block of Cedar Island Drive.  Arriving crews found the garage and a nearby vehicle engulfed in flames.  Firefighters from Fayal Township, Eveleth and Gilbert spent several hours on the scene.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department.