October 18 – Raffles, fire safety giveaways, and delicious spaghetti were all on hand at the annual spaghetti feed hosted by the Pike-Sandy-Britt Fire Department. Dozens of local residents took in the event. Proceeds from the spaghetti feed will be used to purchase equipment for the fire department.

October 21 – The Buyck EMS/Fire Department will be getting a new facility, thanks to funding from the State of Minnesota. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the building were held this morning. The project received $950,000 and will be constructed by Lenci Enterprises of Virginia. Construction is slated to start later this year with the building being completed in 2026.

October 17 – Three fire departments (Aurora, Hoyt Lakes, Palo) battled a house fire in Aurora this afternoon. The blaze was reported around 4:20 in the 300 block of West Third Avenue North. Arriving firefighters found the house engulfed in flames. No injuries were reported, but numerous pets including cats and dogs perished in the blaze. The house is considered a total loss. The Hoyt Lakes Ambulance Service provided medical standby at the scene while the East Range Police Department, Gilbert Police Department, and Minnesota DNR assisted in traffic control. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the East Range Police Department, Aurora Fire Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

October 12 – A Hibbing home was destroyed and another extensively damaged as a result of an explosion and fire in Hibbing this evening. The incident was reported around 6:40 when neighbors reported an explosion in the 2200 block of 9th Avenue East near the Hibbing High School. Arriving firefighters and police officers found a home fully engulfed in flames. As many as three people were transported to the Hibbing hospital. The fire spread to a nearby home and the entire 2200 block was evacuated. Seven fire departments (Hibbing, Chisholm, Keewatin, Virginia, Nashawauk, Cherry, and Silica) were involved in fighting the fire. The Hibbing Police Department and St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department provided traffic and crowd control at the scene. The cause of the explosion and fire remain under investigation.

September 25 – The Eveleth Fire Department took part in Big Truck Night this evening in downtown Eveleth. The event allowed residents to see the department’s firefighting and rescue equipment. “We’re proud to show off our apparatus and personnel” said Eveleth Fire Chief Guy Spurlin.

The $32 million Virginia Public Safety Facility will have its Grand Opening and Open House on Thursday, October 2, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. “This facility is a proud symbol of our city’s commitment to public safety,” said Virginia Mayor Larry Cuffe Jr. City officials will offer remarks during the ribbon cutting and then welcome the public to tour the new center. The facility is located at 1004 2nd Avenue South.

September 17 – Cherry, Clinton, and McDavitt firefighters battled a garage fire this evening in Cherry Township. The fire was reported around 7:30 in the 4000 block of River Road. The owners reported hearing two explosions and then the large garage was filled with smoke. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

September 17 – EMS and fire personnel were dispatched this morning to a report of a semi-tractor trailer and pick-up truck crash on U.S. Highway 53 in the Central Lakes area south of Eveleth. A 78 year old Ely woman, who was driving the pickup, was transported to the Essentia-Virginia hospital and later transferred to a Duluth hospital with multiple injuries. The driver of the semi, a 47 year old Duluth man, was not injured. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the pick-up was crossing the northbound lane of the highway and pulled out in front of the semi. Agencies responding to the crash included the Eveleth and Virginia ambulance services along with EMS and fire crews from Central Lakes, Eveleth, and Fayal Township. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department assisted in traffic control at the scene.

September 13 – Virginia, Eveleth, Mountain Iron, and Hibbing firefighters were paged this afternoon to a house fire in Virginia. The fire was reported around 3:30 in the 100 block of 3rd Street North. Arriving firefighters discovered a small fire in the house, which was quickly extinguished. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was investigated by the Virginia Fire Marshal’s Office, Virginia Police Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office. The Virginia Police Department provided traffic control at the scene.