Fire damages pole building in Duluth

At 3:50 PM on Friday, September 1, Duluth Fire Department was dispatched to a call of a structure fire at 4121 N 81st Avenue W. Police officers from DPD were the first on scene to find a 3800-square-foot pole building fully involved in flames. DFD had crews from multiple stations on scene in minutes attacking the fire.

Duluth Fire requested mutual aid assistance from Hermantown Fire Department, Proctor Fire Department, and the 148th Fighter Wing to shuttle water due to the distance from a nearby hydrant. Firefighters also drafted water from a nearby pond to aid in attacking the flames.

No injuries were reported in this incident. Mayo Clinic Ambulance assisted one firefighter who was experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion during the incident who went back to fighting the fire after a short treatment and is recovered. Damage to the building is estimated at $120,000, and damage to the building’s contents is estimated at $150,000.

The fire was difficult to extinguish due to a quantity of 3500 gallons of waste oil stored inside the building. A Minnesota Duty Officer was contacted. An environmental contractor is responding to conduct site cleanup. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Duluth Fire Department’s Fire Marshal’s office.