Duluth High-Rise Fire Claims One Life

A man that firefighters rescued from a Duluth high-rise fire on Friday night has died. Smoking materials are blamed for igniting the fire.

Duluth firefighters were called to Tri Towers, a 14-story apartment building at 222 North 2nd Ave. East just before 9 p.m.

Crews found fire in a 13th floor apartment when they arrived. The fire was held in check by the building’s sprinkler system.

Firefighters rescued a man from the apartment. “His burns were extensive due to his immediate proximity to the fire,” Assistant Fire Chief Richard Mattson said in a press release.

He was transported to Essentia Medical Center for treatment. The burn injuries were so severe that he was flown to Region’s Hospital in St. Paul for additional treatment.

He later died of his injuries. The department has not released the victim’s name.

The Duluth Fire Marshal’s Office reported that “ignition by smoking materials” caused the fire.

Officials say that an April 2009 fire in the same apartment was caused by the fire victim and it was attributed to the disposal of smoking materials.

According to a September article in the Duluth Tribune News, Tri Towers residents will be banned from smoking in the building this spring. Four of the six Duluth Housing and Redevelopment Authority buildings banned smoking in 2010. Tri Towers and one other building will be smoke free starting in May.

The fire was contained to one apartment. Damages were estimated at $40,000.

Twenty firefighters, staffing three engines, one quint, one ladder and one rescue responded to the fire.