Grand Marais home damaged by fire

A Grand Marais woman called Cook County Law Enforcement at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 28 reporting that her home was “getting really hot and there was smoke outside.”

The Maple Hill and Grand Marais Fire Departments were paged to 307 County Road 60, the home of Bruce and Nancy Leonard. When the fire departments arrived they found smoke rolling out of an upstairs window and the eaves on one side of the house.

Fire trucks traveled to the nearby Devil Track River to fill water tanks Firefighters hosed down the side of the house and the smoke subsided. To be certain the fire was out, firefighters climbed onto the roof to probe the soffits looking for flames.

Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading, but the home suffered significant damage from the heat and water used to extinguish the fire.

Cook County Ambulance also responded and stood by. All occupants of the home were able to exit safely. No one was injured fighting the fire. All emergency responders were clear of the scene by 10:31 p.m.

It is believed that the fire started in the roof near the woodstove used to heat the house.

Story by Rhonda Silence.