URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT Fire Update – U.P. Breaking News Bulletin –
Could today’s tragedy in Ironwood, MI have been averted?
EXCLUSIVE: The Audio Tapes: Dramatic rescues this morning by Ironwood, MI police and firefighters in a deadly inferno – plus listen to audio of the small fire reported an hour before the huge blaze that killed at least two people
Two fires within about an hour of each other in same Ironwood apartment building – the first fir was blamed on cooking – and hour later and it turned into an inferno that last all morning and claims at least two lives – possibly more.
(Ironwood) – The Michigan State Police Fire Marshal is investigated why there were two fires in the same building in Ironwood, MI this morning – with the second causing at least two deaths and about 10 people injured.
The first fire at 102 E. Aurora Street was at 2:35 a.m. CT
The second fire was reported at 3:45 a.m. CT
The second blaze destroyed the old three-story building in downtown Ironwood.
Fire #1 ( followed by Fire #2 – with dramatic rescues – listen as police and firefighters try to help the trapped victims)
Fire #2 – the deadly inferno:
Fire photo by Robert Lanctoe
Fire photo by Lisa Anne
Fire photo by Lisa Ann
Fire photo by Lisa Ann
2-21-18 – 6:35 a.m. CT –
Video by Nancy Zak/Zak’s Realty
Thick smoke is being sent east across Ironwood, triggering many calls from worried residents. One said he could see flames.
Just over an hour before this tragic fire, officials were called to same building for a smoky fire.
***This is info is from the first fire call at same building, not the tragic call an hour later:
Ironwood firefighters, police responded to the same kind of fire call – smoke in the building – at the exact same location just over an hour earlier.
At 2:35 a.m. CT – the first call went out for smoke filling 102 E. Aurora Street – an old three-story building in downtown Ironwood.
“There is a caller stating that smoke is filling the building – does not know if there is a fire or not,” the dispatcher radioed police officers at 2:35 a.m. CT. That first caller was in apartment 3 and said he could smell the smoke.
A second caller said his apartment wasn’t filled with smoke but the building as filling with smoke. He was told to evacuate.
A third caller reported fire:
“The caller stated there was fire inside,” the dispatcher told those responding.
Then word the fire was out – radioed in about 2:44 a.m. CT.
“You can slow everybody down, it was a ‘cooktop’ – the fire’s out,” said one official.
We will be posting more on this soon.
Scroll down for more details
——-
4:35 a.m. CT
Tragedy unfolding in Ironwood, MI – Up to 10 victims total – two feared killed
By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director
906-273-2433
**Remember in breaking news situations like this information can change rapidly. We are posting everything we believe is true.
(Ironwood, MI) – Ironwood fire officials are probing the cause of an early morning blaze that has left up to ten people hurt – including two feared dead – at an apartment building that was filled with acrid black smoke.
At 5:34 a.m. CT, a ranking fire official on the scene said everyone who could be saved – has been.
At this point – “we’ve rescued everyone we can rescue,” the fire official told the dispatcher.
Gogebic County Victim’s Services went to the hospital to help survivors – at the request of fire officials.
“See what the needs are of the one’s we rescued,” the official told the dispatcher.
About an hour and 10 minutes prior to this fire call, police and firefighters had been called to the same apartment building – also for smoke filling the building
At 6:20 a.m. CT, fire officials were still trying to stop the blaze from spreading to other old neighboring buildings.
“That east wall just caved-in,” a fire official reported – as the apartment building appears to be three or more stories tall.
It appears the apartment building is actually connected to the Choice Oil Company.
“There is heavy fire on the west side of the building,” an Ironwood fire official radioed to firefighters manning hoses including an aerial truck.“Concentrate your efforts on that (west) side so that we can try and avoid it going (spreading) to another building,” the fire officials said at 6:21 a.m. CT. “I don’t want the wall knocked down – just the flame.
All available ambulances and firefighters were called to an apartment building fire in Ironwood. The Hurley Fire Department (WI) sent a truck and firefighters to the scene in the western Upper Peninsula.
The blaze is located at 102 E. Aurora Street in Ironwood, MI.
The smoky blaze was reported about 3:45 a.m. CT this morning, Wed., Feb. 21, 2018.
One paramedic estimated ten total victims – including two possible fatalities. Many of the victims are elderly.
Paramedics were doing CPR on one victim who had “severe smoke inhalation.”
At least one victim called 911 begging for help, and others could be heard screaming from inside the building.
The dispatcher told responding emergency officials that one victim said “he can’t get our of the building – there is thick black smoke.”
U.P. Breaking News is withholding all names of whom we are aware.
This will be a lengthy investigation. The Michigan State Police Fire Marshal is expected to be called to the scene.
Ironwood Public Safety Officers pulled about six people to safety despite acrid black smoke billowing from the building. Scanner listeners could hear the officers coughing and choking as they radioed the dispatcher.
“There are serious injuries,” said one official. “This is a serious fire – It is a Code Orange.”
The first officer on the scene confirmed the smoke and then flames.
“There are flames coming out of the building,” the officer radioed to the dispatcher.
Firefighters were still pumping a large amount of water onto the building at 6:20 a.m. CT
Officials are going from room-to-room to checking for victims.
“We probably have one or two (more victims) inside the building,” one fire official said.
An informal triage area was set up in the parking lots of a couple nearby businesses – as the apartment building is located just off downtown.
Thankfully some of the occupants were not hurt. Officials are trying to arrange hotel rooms for the fire victims including some who may be treated and released from the hospital. There were several cases of minor smoke inhalation.
The American Red Cross is en-route. Gogebic County Victim’s Services is on the scene.
More shortly.
For two hours the Woodview Apartments on Northland Dr. was all but closed down – and power was out. The incident began about 11:25 a.m. and the last fire truck cleared at 1:19 Saturday afternoon.
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 