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Cloquet Area Fire District firefirefighters could not get a rig down 6 ½ Street to fight a house fire but the hoses could reach. The street was narrowed by snowbanks to about the width of an alley.
Firefighters responded to a home on one of Cloquet's shortest streets after a resident smelled smoke around 9 p.m. Saturday, April 8.
The response was quick and damage was minimal, thanks to the early notification by the resident, said Cloquet Area Fire District battalion chief Jason Maki.
Police arrived first at the home on 6 ½ Street and doused the flames with a fire extinguisher. Cloquet Area Fire District firefighters extinguished the fire a second time when it flared back up. Due to the high snow banks and narrow road width, they parked on Prospect Avenue and stretched the fire hoses from the trucks to the home.
The homeowner had already gotten her daughter and her dog out of the home, so there were no injuries. Damage was mostly contained to the exterior of the house.
"We got there quickly enough to prevent the fire from going inside the house," Maki said.
Maki said a broken gas line was the big issue. The gas line was repaired the same night and residents were allowed to return once the smoke and a little gas were cleared.
Maki said the weight of the snow and the softening of the ground caused the gas meter to shift and broke the gas line. Minnesota Energy Resources responded and fixed the broken line.
Maki said they are still investigating the exact cause of the fire, but it doesn't appear to be suspicious.
