Fire at Birchwood Color Center in Bemidji

Bemidji Fire Department responded to a fire in a multi-business
commercial/residential building Thursday morning in Bemidji. The fire,
which was reported at 10:49 AM by numerous passing motorists, was
located in the 3400 block of Bemidji Ave North. Bemidji Firefighters
arrived on scene to find a large volume of smoke exiting the from the
roof area of the business. Firefighters encountered extensive fire
inside the structure, however were able to confine the fire to the
business of origin. Blackduck and Cass Lake firefighters supplemented
the 30 Bemidji firefighters on scene. Three Fire Engines and a Ladder
Truck along with a large tracked excavator were used on the scene. The
businesses and apartment were unoccupied at the time of the fire. The
fire departments were on scene approximately 8 hours. The fire caused
an estimated $410,000 in damage to the structure and contents. The
cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Bemidji Fire
Department, Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office and Bemidji Police
Department.