The Duluth Fire Department was hard at work on Friday evening, responding to not one, but two structure fires within a short period. Details provided by the department's official Facebook page note that the first call at 6:38 pm sent firefighters racing to a business on 2601 W. Superior Street. Their swift arrival, in a mere two minutes, revealed refuse and recycling dumpsters ablaze, threatening to spread to the building itself.
The second emergency dispatched crews at 7:59 pm to a multiple dwelling fire at 619 N Tenth Avenue E. Arriving in just over two minutes, the Duluth Police Department was already engaged, evacuating two of the building’s occupants. They discovered heavy smoke Emanating from the first floor of the two-story, four-unit apartment building. According to the Fire Department's statement, "Crews from UMD, Headquarters, and Lincoln Park found heavy smoke on the first floor of the building and quickly advanced lines into the structure to knock down the fire."
No injuries were sustained during either event, a fact for which many would be grateful. The former incident incurred an estimated $10,000 worth of damage to the business's exterior. Thankfully, due to bystanders’ rapid calls to 911 and firefighters' prompt action, the flames were contained outside. The latter event, however, saw one apartment unit taking the brunt of the fire damage and all units suffering smoke damage, totaling an estimated $20,000. Remarkably, one cat escaping the ordeal, took refuge under a bed in a neighboring apartment, surviving unscathed.
Both incidents are being probed by the Duluth Fire Marshal’s office, as they work to piece together the origins of these blazes. In words of gratitude, "No residents are reported to be displaced by the fire," stated Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Edwards, who attributes the limited damages to the quick actions of the Duluth Fire Department and bystanders alike. Shoutouts were given to the Saint Louis County 911 dispatch, Mayo Ambulance, and the Duluth Police Department for their critical roles in the incident's responses, with a special thanks to the police department for their assistance in evacuating the residents on N. Tenth Avenue E.
