Archive
The Twin Cities Fire Service in the News – June 25
Eagan’s New Safety Center/Fire Station In The News
The new fire safety center/Station 2 received a ton of news coverage this week when it had a grand opening and dedication. The $8.1 million building combined two fire stations into one, has several training features and is features green construction. Find more coverage here: Eagan Patch, Pioneer Press, This Week Newspapers
Final Interview With Richfield Chief Sveum
Richfield Fire Chief Brad Sveum talks with Richfield Patch’s Caitlin Burgess about 38 years in the fire service. Sveum, who retires this month, reflects on 29 year in Richfield and shares his most memorable moments. Read the interview here.
Brooklyn Center Receives Grant for Thermal Imager
The Brooklyn Center Fire Department has a new thermal imaging camera after receiving a $9,800 grant from the Firemen’s Fund Insurance Company. According to the Minnesota Sun Newspapers, the department’s current cameras are 15 and 17 years old. You can read the full story here.
Photographer Documents Live Burn in Lakeville
Lakeville Patch’s Paige Andrews photographed the fire department as they participated in a recent live fire training exercise at the ABLE joint training center in Burnsville. Check out the photos here.
There’s a New Fire Marshal in Town: Mendota Heights
Veteran firefighter Jim Lee was recently appointed fire marshal in Mendota Heights. According to the Mendota Heights Patch, Lee was a firefighter in West St. Paul and is now responsible for enforcing fire codes and conducting building inspections. Read the story here.
Fridley Police Beat Fire in Softball Matchup
The Fridley Police Department defeated the fire department with a 12-5 win in Friday night’s ’49er Days softball game. Fridley Patch reports that this was the first time the teams played each other in more than 20 years. Read the story and see the photos here.
Golden Valley Recruitment Drive
More than 20 people attended the first of three recruitment drives for the Golden Valley Fire Department. Check out Golden Valley Patch’s story and photos here.
St. Louis Park Fire Station Demolished
Construction crews demolished 40-year-old St. Louis Park Fire Station 1 recently. A video from St. Louis Park Patch shows the work underway and the website reports that it’s the first step in the construction of a new $15.5 million fire station.
Boy Scouts Learn About Fire from Stillwater Firefighters
Stillwater Patch covered an event where boy scouts were given a. Click here to see the photos.
See something that we’ve missed? Send an e-mail to TwinCitiesFireWire@yahoo.com and we’ll look into it.
St. Louis Park Fire Reaches 5 Alarms, Firefighter Injured
Josh Grubb Photo
Josh Grubb Photo
Josh Grubb Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
Twin Cities Fire Wire Photo
The story as updated Wednesday morning
June 7 – More than a dozen fire departments were called to condominium complex fire in St. Louis Park on Tuesday, just as temperatures broke historic records.
The fire was reported at 4625 Minnetonka Blvd. around 3:30 p.m. and it brought auto aid from Edina and Richfield.
Firefighters found flames showing from the second floor of the three-story Nachez Place condominium complex. The fire extended from the second floor to the top floor before crews contained the fire.
St. Louis Park Spokesman Jamie Zwilling said that two units received extensive damage. One-third of the building had smoke damage.
The fire was under control in 30 minutes.
The fire quickly escalated to five alarms, bring about 15 departments and more than 75 firefighters.
“It reached five alarms because of the excess heat,” said Zwilling. About the time of the fire, the mercury hit reached 102 degrees.
A Golden Valley firefighter was transported to the hospital suffering from heat-related injuries, according to Zwilling.
Hennepin EMS Spokesman Christopher Kummer said they dispatched three ambulances and three supervisors to assist evaluate residents and monitor firefighters.
The following departments responded: Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie, Edina, Golden Valley, Hopkins, MAC Fire, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Richfield, Robbindale and Wayzata.
Tornado Strains Metro Fire Departments
Photo Courtesy Of Josh Grubb
Photo Courtesy Of Josh Grubb
Photo Courtesy Of Josh Grubb
Photo Courtesy Of Josh Grubb
Photo Courtesy Of Josh Grubb
Photo Courtesy Of Josh Grubb
MAY 22 – Fire crews in the Twin Cities were very busy this evening and will remain busy throughout the night managing the aftermath of today’s tornado.
Tornado damage was extensive on the North Side of Minneapolis and through Fridley this afternoon, toppling trees and destroying buildings.
Minneapolis Fire taxed its resources managing the damage that sliced through a large area of the North Side neighborhoods from the Near North Side to Camden.
In Fridley, damage was reported in the 694 & University area and Northeast from that location including trees down and roofs being blown off structures.
Fridley Fire Department staffed its stations prior to the tornado and activated its EOC immediately after they started receiving reports of damage.
Mutual Aid was started from Columbia Heights, Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View as well as St. Anthony.
Other fire agencies in the metro were busy with storm related calls including St. Louis Park who fought a dwelling fire in the 3000 Block of Oregon Ave South with the assistance of Hopkins Fire Department.
Twin Cities Fire Wire will update this story when more information is available.
Edina Fire Chief Talks About Operations at Fatal House Fire
April 18 – Edina Fire Chief Marty Scheerer talked with Twin Cities Fire Wire today about Monday morning’s house fire that claimed the life of a 54-year-old woman.
“It was a routine fire, except for the tragic loss of the resident,” Scheerer said.
Edina fire crews were called to 5300 block of Oaklawn Avenue at 4:47 a.m.
A police officer, who is also a paid-on-call firefighter in Edina arrived moments before firefighters and performed a quick size-up of the home. He found heavy smoke from throughout the from the 1 1/2-story home and flames showing from the A/B-corner in the basement.0
As Edina Engine 83 arrived, residents informed responders that three people occupy the home and were home. In rapid succession, the second and third alarms were called.
Engine 83’s crews stretched a handline in the front door as Richfield Engine 1 laid a supply line to Engine 83.
“As firefighters made their way in the front door, they found the victim and removed her to an ambulance.”
As crews made their way inside the structure, they encountered an area where the floor burned through. They retreated and gained entry through an egress window in the basement on the D-side of the home.
“We wanted to get a hold on the fire,” Scheerer said. “We had found the one victim and because of the time of the day, we wanted to try to find the other two who were supposed to be home.”
Firefighters made a push into the basement and contained the fire to the basement area.
As crews performed primary and secondary searches of the home, they found that the fire burned through the floor in two rooms. Scheerer estimates a hole about two feet in diameter burned through the living room floor in the front of the home.
A second hole, about six feet in diameter, burned through the kitchen on the B/C-corner of the home.
The fire was declared under control in about 30 minutes, but crews had extensive overhaul work to do. The flames burned through the exterior walls on the A/B-corner of the home and crews had to tear through lathe and plaster to stop the spread eof fire.
Firefighters from Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Hopkins, Richfield and St. Louis Park responded to the fire, along with Hennepin EMS. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office was called into to assist with the investigation of the fire.
Scheerer said that the department recently brought on a fire chaplain. “He handled the situation really well,” Scheerer said of the chaplain’s interactions with the victim’s family.
“He was spectacular and really helped the family and assisted us in dealing with the tragic situation at hand.”
Related:
Fire Destroys St. Louis Park Shop
An early-morning fire damaged two shops in a St. Louis Park strip mall on Thursday.
Firefighters were called to Yes Mart, in the Texa-Tonka shopping plaza at Minnetonka Boulevard and Texas Avenue, around 6 a.m.
Public Information Officer Jamie Zwilling told the St. Louis Park Patch that the unoccupied store was fully involved when units arrived.
Flames spread to an adjacent vacant business before being contained, according to KARE-TV.
The fire reached two alarms and mutual aid was called from Edina, Hopkins and Plymouth.
Related:
Fire Levels Home Under Construction in Minnetonka
March 11 – A three-alarm fire destroyed a Minnetonka home that was under construction on Friday afternoon.
The fire was reported about 1 p.m. in the 16900 block of Grays Bay Boulevard. Two construction workers were in the home when an explosion triggered the fire, Minnetonka Patch reported.
A video on Minnetonka Patch’s website shows a large volume of fire coming from the home before firefighters arrived.
Firefighters used master streams and handlines to keep the intense fire from spreading to other homes.
Mutual aid was received from Chanhassen, Hopkins, Plymouth, St. Louis Park and Wayzata.
Heavy equipment was brought in to tear the remains of the structure down after the fire was placed under control.
Related
Breaking: Hazmat Leak at St. Louis Park Mall
Crews are at the scene of a hazardous materials incident at the Knollwood Mall in St. Louis Park.
Crews were called about 3 p.m. for a reported chlorine leak at the swimming school inside the mall, at 8332 Highway 7.
Fire crews from Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Richfield were called to assist St. Louis Park.
Ambulances from Hennepin County Medical Center were also requested to the scene.
TwinCitiesFireWire.com will update the story when additional details are available.
Report: Crack Pipe Caused Golden Valley Fire
The fire that damaged a Golden Valley condominium complex last week was caused by a crack pipe.
KSTP reports that “the pipe set a pillow or bedding on fire in a unit.”
A woman was seen laughing while running out of the building. Amanda Fernandes, 33, was charged with starting the fire out of neglect, according to the story.
The fire, in the 9100 block of Olson Memorial Highway, was brought under control Golden Valley, Plymouth and St. Louis Park firefighters.
Related Articles:
Golden Valley Fire Displaces a Dozen Residents
Fire at a Golden Valley condominium complex displaced more than a dozen residents Thursday night.
Crews from Golden Valley, Plymouth and St. Louis Park were called to the 9100 block of Olson Memorial Highway about 9:30 p.m.
The first unit on scene reported heavy smoke showing from the
They were able to hold the fire to the unit of origin, but firefighter evacuated the building which contained 18 units.
Related Articles:
Update: Edina House Fire Turns Fatal
This morning’s house fire in Edina has claimed the life of a 74-year-old woman.
The woman’s 75-year-old husband was able to escape from the fire by jumping from a second floor window onto the garage roof, according to KSTP.
Crews were called out to the 7200 block of Lanham Lane about 12:30 a.m. and found heavy smoke showing from the 2 1/2-story dwelling.
Video shot by KSTP crews shows heavy smoke pushing from both floors of the dwelling and firefighters using handlines on heavy fire conditions right inside the front entryway. Another crews is forcing entry into the garage.
The fire burned through the roof on the D-side of the home.
KSTP reports that crews worked for several hours to locate the missing woman.
Mutual aid was received from Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Richfield and St. Louis Park.
Related Articles
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