Fire rakes fairgrounds

By P.J. GLISSON

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Ironwood - Swiftly moving fire on Tuesday morning destroyed three structures at the Gogebic County Fairgrounds in Ironwood.

The grandstands, the 4-H horse barn and a hay barn all burned to the ground in little more than an hour, with only rubble left flickering.

"On Sept. 26, 2023, at approximately 9:58 a.m., on-duty Ironwood Public Safety Officers received a report of a fire at the Gogebic County Fairgrounds," said a news release from the Ironwood Public Safety Department.

"Additional members of the IPSD fire division were paged," continued the release signed by Andrew DiGiorgio, department director. "The first units arrived on the scene within four minutes of the call and found the grandstand and adjacent horse barn fully engulfed. The initial teams focused on protecting the surrounding buildings and extinguishing the fire."

Until just before the inferno, The Globe was taking pictures of Jeff Kalla using an excavator to break apart the south side of the grandstands. He then used the same machine, repeatedly, to scoop up the pieces and drop them into an industrial dumpster.

Kalla was working for Pete Giovanoni, manager of Superior Excavation of Hurley, who said that his workers - after successfully cutting the bases of about 15 metal poles within the grandstands - were using a torch to cut an additional pole when sparks produced a mild fire on the grandstands wood.

"That was the last one," said Giovanoni of the poles.

He added that the guys successfully put out the visible flame with a fire extinguisher, but he speculated that sparks had gone inside the grandstands wall, where the extinguisher could not snuff them out.

"It's just unbelievable how quickly it went," he said of the structure that lit up just before 10 a.m. "I mean it went in 10 minutes."

Giovanoni, who has been working in the business for decades, said he'd never experienced anything like it before.

Lt. Matt Sterbenz of the Ironwood Public Safety Department was the first official on the scene. "We saw smoke, so we started going in this direction," he said, adding that Fair Board Member Thomas Hampston's call to emergency services was the first among many.

"I own the property right behind it," said Hampston of the fairgrounds land. "I saw flames."

Sterbenz said the wind was blowing east to west and so was helping to feed the flames from the grandstands to the 4-H horse barn.

The livestock pavilion, which had a spot of fire near its north side roof, was barely saved in time by firefighters who powered a long-range hose at the flames directly after Xcel Energy turned off the power in that building.

Before the power had been cut, there were added concerns about electrical hazards.

The fairgrounds are within Ironwood city property, and Sterbenz said that the IPSD called its water department to assure an adequate supply of water.

In addition, said DiGiorgio in his statement, "A mutual aid request was made for additional fire departments due to the building's size, location, and need for other water sources. Responding departments were Hurley, Ironwood Township, and Bessemer Township fire departments."

"Everybody worked together very well," said Sterbenz, who added that the various departments took on different tasks.

"Pretty much everybody just pitched in as needed," said Firefighter Mike Nelson of Ironwood Township.

DiGiorgio also said that "there were no reported injuries to either civilians or firefighters."

He added, "The fire was under control by 10:45 a.m., and units will remain on scene throughout the evening. Residents may continue to see smoke coming from the fairgrounds."

Ironwood Township Fire Chief Robert Brentar said there was no telling how long the fire would burn. He explained that metal roofing from the structures could help to hold in heat and prolong smoldering.

"We're going to peel some stuff back," DiGiorgio told The Globe as he explained why Kalla had resumed his place on the excavator and was scattering some of the debris. "Otherwise, it'll burn for days."

Three fairground structures had been slated for demolition after a structural engineering report deemed them unsound: the grandstands, the poultry barn and an old trailer used by race horse officials.

Giovanoni and his team already had demolished the trailer on Sept. 20, followed by the poultry barn on Sept. 22. They had begun dismantling the grandstands on Monday afternoon, after morning rain, and then returned on Tuesday morning to continue the task.

Hence, five total structures are now gone, between the scheduled demolition and the unexpected fire.

"I thought we'd get it done in a couple weeks," said Giovanoni of the demolition work. He was hired as a subcontractor under the lead operation of Bolle Contracting in downstate Clare.

Giovanoni said that extra time had been anticipated due to being unsure what to expect regarding the concrete base on the grandstands.

The fairgrounds inspire memories among many folks.

During the early demolition on Tuesday, Rory Bergquist of Ironwood was watching from the south side of the fair property, along with his dog, Bolt, that he recently adopted from HOPE.

"I raced snowmobiles here," said Bergquist as he gazed over the grandstands' track.

He added of his father, Nick Bergquist, "We were involved with promoting the fair all our lives."

"It's sad to see," said Hampston, who arrived on the scene directly after the fire started. "I never wanted to see the grandstands come down, or the chicken barn."

"At least nobody got hurt," said Hurley Police Chief Chris Colassaco. "The rest is just property."

In a statement on the Facebook page of the Gogebic County Fair, Linda Nelson said she spoke for herself and all fellow Fair Board members, assuring that the Gogebic County Fair will return next year as usual.

"We already have talked about things we want to see at the 2024 fair," she said, "and we are working on making it happen. This is a bump - OK, a mountain - in the road, but if the path in life was straight and paved, it would be kinda boring. We will surpass this obstacle."

"The Ironwood Public Safety Department would like to thank Xcel Energy, Beacon Ambulance, the city of Ironwood Department of Public Works, and assisting law enforcement and fire departments," said DiGiorgio in his press release.

He added, "The fire's cause is under investigation by Ironwood Public Safety Sgt./Fire Marshal Brandon Snyder and Gogebic County Sheriff Department Det./Sgt. Jessie Yesney."

One thing is sure, he said, while surveying the scene: "a lot of fire load."