August 30 – Members of the Eveleth, Fayal Township, and Gilbert fire departments participated in a Low Angle Rope Rescue class at the Leonadis Lookout in West Eveleth. The training involved several evolutions involving ropes and pulleys. The course was conducted by the Minnesota Public Safety Group.

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July 22 – Kinney-Great Scott, Mountain Iron, Buhl, and Cherry firefighters were paged this morning to a trailer house fire in Kinney. The fire was reported around 5:40 a.m. near the intersection of Blackwood Avenue and St. Louis County Highway 25. The vacant trailer was a complete loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department. No injuries were reported.

July 19 – An early evening fire destroyed a garage in Hibbing. The fire was reported around 6:00 p.m. in the 3800 block of 19th Avenue East. Hibbing firefighters were able to quickly bring the blaze under control, although the garage was a total loss. The siding on a nearby house was damaged. The Chisholm, Keewatin, and Virginia fire departments were also dispatched as part of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), but were cancelled while enroute. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

July 17 – 69 year old Raeann Marie Pry and 67 year old Susan Patricia Hein were killed this evening in a house fire in Beatty Township, near Cook. The blaze was reported around 9:20 on Wakemup Village Road West. When St. Louis County deputy sheriffs and firefighters arrived, the house was engulfed in flames. The two victims were later located in the structure. The Cook, Orr, Greenwood Township fire departments and the Lake Vermilion Fire Brigade were dispatched to the blaze, along with the Cook Ambulance which provided medical standby and firefighter rehabilitation at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office.

July 14 – EMS/Fire personnel from the Hibbing Fire Department spent this morning at the Range Regional Airport in Hibbing where they participated in aircraft rescue and firefighting training. The evolutions involved “live fire” scenarios where crews had to knock down outside and inside fires around the aircraft as well as rescue “victims” inside the plane. Twenty eight Hibbing firefighters participated in the training conducted by ARFF Specialists of Carlton, Minnesota.

Here’s a great opportunity for young adults to learn about the EMS/Fire profession.

July 8 – A weekend fire destroyed LSC Environmental Products near Floodwood. According to Floodwood Fire Chief Josh Lassila, firefighters were called to the plant along Highway 2 around 10:30 Friday night (July 4) and discovered 40 foot flames coming from an 18,000 gallon propane tank. The fire destroyed a nearby shed and had extended into the main plant facility. The fire was contained and extinguished early Saturday morning (july 5). Later Saturday morning, around 11:20, firefighters from Floodwood, Alborn, Culver, Cromwell-Wright and Arrowhead Township were dispatched when smoke was seen coming from plant. The entire building became engulfed in flames and heavy smoke. The roof of plant collapsed and firefighters spent nearly 12 hours on the scene. No civilian injuries were reported, but one firefighter received minor. Floodwood firefighters were again dispatched to the site Sunday afternoon when some remaining materials were burning and emitting a huge black column of smoke. Throughout the entire fire, the Floodwood Ambulance Service provided medical standby and firefighter rehabilitation.

The Fourth of July Holiday is a time for celebrating the founding of our country. It can also be a dangerous time with many people being injured in fireworks accidents. Don’t be a statistic. If you’re using or watching fireworks, be safe and be careful.