Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
FIREFIGHTERS WORK to put out the blaze that destroyed the Nippa Excavation building in Bruce Crossing Saturday night. The fire is believed to have been caused by a wood stove. The photos were provided by the department from its Facebook page.
By RICHARD JENKINS
Bruce Crossing - Multiple fire departments responded to a Saturday evening fire that destroyed Nippa Excavation; located on U.S. 45 behind the U.P. Aspirus Clinic, near the intersection with M-28 in Bruce Crossing.
The Bruce Crossing Fire Department was dispatched to a fully engulfed structure fire at approximately 8:20 p.m .; after numerous people reported the blaze, as it could be seen from miles away.
"The shop at Nippa Excavation was full of, and surrounded by, logs and tires. There were a lot of explosions once we got on scene as tires were popping inside the structure," Bruce Crossing Chief Jared Kurtti told the Daily Globe. "The metal roof of the structure also made it difficult to get the blaze under control, but after only three hours the fire was extinguished with the help of front-end loaders and lots of manpower."
Kurtti said around 25 fire fighters were on the scene; with the Ewen, Trout Creek and Watersmeet fire departments also responding to the blaze.
A wood stove was believed to have started the fire; with Kurtti saying property owner Pat Nippa told him he had fired up the stove approximately 30 minutes before the fire started.
The high winds Saturday night caused some concern for neighbors as Kurtti said embers were landing in yards several blocks away, but the blaze was successfully contained and there were no injuries in the fire.
