At approximately 6:35 pm, on November 12th, the City of Virginia Fire Department was paged out to the 600 block of 3rd Street South for the report of a residential structure fully involved in fire.
Virginia Engine One under the command of Assistant Chief Jim Theodore responded to the scene.
Enroute the Chief initiated mutual aid calls to the communities of Mountain Iron for manpower and Eveleth for their RIT team.
Upon arrival the chief called a working fire and initiated the city's "All Call" procedure to alert off duty personnel of an all hands fire.
Engine 1 established a hydrant connection and began exposure protection of a building adjoining the structure as the second alarm crew arrived with Virginia Ladder One. The ladder crews went to work with handlines and monitor nozzle on the ladder as Mountain Iron and Eveleth units arrived and established additional hydrant connections to provide support for the Virginia units.
As the structure was abandoned and deemed potentially unsafe for entry early on, an external defensive operation.
Units were assisted somewhat by a persistent rain in the area at the time and the fire was brought under control within 30 minutes. Crews then began to go to work on the hotspots and overhaul of the building.
Entry was finally made after structure inspection and crews worked internally to finish extinguishing the fire.
Units remained on the scene for roughly 3 hours, but did return briefly at midnight after fire watch reported some minor fire reoccurring in the attic.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time.
