VIDEO: Orono home deemed total loss after massive fire

A family was able to escape a destructive blaze that took down their home in Orono on Sunday. Three family members were inside the home when the fire began just before 7 p.m. All of them were able to safely escape the burning structure along with the family dog, an emergency responder on the scene told KARE 11. Long Lake Fire Chief Mike Heiland said it appears the blaze began in the garage of the home, but at this time a cause remains uncertain. The fire was massive - images from Sky 11 show flames lighting up the night sky for quite a distance. At least nine departments responded to the scene in Orono, but they were unable to save the home. It was reduced to rubble and is a total loss.
KARE-TV NBC 11 Minneapolis

Donated house burned for Hermantown Fire Department training

VIDEO: Over the weekend, Hermantown firefighters got the opportunity to battle a house fire for educational and training purposes. “This is as real as it gets, without being a real emergency,” said Hermantown Firefighter and EMT Michael Graves. Graves was one of many first responders taking part in the training exercise Saturday. “It’s huge that we can do this. The type of training we can get with a real structure,” said Graves. Crews worked together both inside and outside the house which, according to Graves, is a rare opportunity for Hermantown firefighters. “A lot of times, with our response times structures are too dangerous to go inside the interior with, so we oftentimes don’t get that real-world training,” said Graves. The house was donated by a local developer to be burned down.
KBJR-TV NBC 6 Superior

St. Paul Public Schools graduates first EMT trainees

PHOTOS: Twelve seniors graduated from St. Paul Public School’s EMT training program on Friday. It’s the first-ever class for the district and a possible way forward in a crisis for emergency medicine. Dr. Kari Haley, the assistant medical director of Regions EMS, says certifying high school seniors makes sense. “At a time when EMS is truly facing a national shortage, a critical shortage of EMTs and paramedics, it’s so inspiring to see such an enthusiastic and ready to learn and a very professional group of kids coming out of high school who are really excited about medicine,” Haley said. Susan Laskowski, the school counselor who supports the districtwide program said these students represent six different high schools and speak six different languages.
MPR News

Barn burns to the ground, killing 7,000 turkeys in Stearns County

PHOTOS: A farmer in central Minnesota is counting his losses after a barn fire claimed thousands of turkeys. The Stearns County Sheriff's Office said first responders were dispatched to a farm on McCormic Lake Road in Sauk Centre Township around 10:30 p.m. April 30. By the time deputies and fire rigs arrived the barn was fully engulfed. Responders say they were told by the owner, 46-year-old Peter Klaphake, that 7,000 turkeys were housed inside the barn when it went up in flames. None of them survived. While investigators are still looking for an official cause, they do say the fire appears to have started in the barn's mechanical room. The structure - which measured approximately 200 feet by 64 feet - appears to be a total loss. Sauk Centre firefighters were helped out by departments from Melrose and Freeport, and personnel from several area police departments.
KARE-TV NBC 11 Minneapolis

1 hospitalized after large fire at commercial building in Newport

VIDEO: One person was hospitalized following a large fire in the southeast metro on Wednesday. The fire happened at a commercial building near the intersection of Ninth Avenue and Tibbetts Place. The Washington County Sheriff's Office says it received a report of a vehicle fire that spread to a nearby structure around 2:11 p.m. Crews finally cleared the scene at 8 p.m., according to the Newport Fire Department. No firefighters were injured, but one person went to the hospital "for a medical condition," officials said. Fire departments from surrounding communities also responded to the incident.
WCCO-TV CBS 4 Minneapolis

Maplewood house fire sends 1 to hospital

The Maplewood Fire Department is investigating a fire that sent one person to the hospital early Wednesday morning. According to fire officials, crews were called to the 1000 block of McKnight Road South shortly before 5 a.m. for a report of a fire in a garage that was attached to a home. One person was taken to an area hospital due to the fire. The extent of their injuries and condition weren’t provided. No other details about the person who was hospitalized were immediately released, but fire officials say none of the responding firefighters were injured. The fire caused “extensive” damage to the garage, with smoke and heat also causing additional damage to the residential part of the building. Fire officials added that the home had working smoke alarms and an alarm monitoring system.
KSTP-TV ABC 5 St. Paul