Reports: Fridley Grass Fire Near Park Construction along BNSF Tracks

A brush fire along the railroad tracks at about 81st was burning nearby businesses and drew response from several fire departments.

Update (10:45 a.m. Friday): "Fire is under control," according to a commenter at Police Clips. Original post: The Fridley Fire Department and units from several neighboring cities are responding to a grass fire along the BNSF rail tracks at about 81st Avenue NE in Fridley. The fire is near Park Construction, according to scanner reports. Police Clips confirmed: Fridley Grass fire along railroad tracks near Park Construction at 81st and Hickory. SBM, Coon Rapids, Columbia Heights assisting. St Anthony responding to cover Columbia Heights FD Stations. Police Clips commenters: At the Fridley Patch Facebook page, commenters wrote:

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Fire Strikes Fridley Terrace Manufactured Home

Firefighters doused area below home Friday evening but fire rekindled early Saturday, according to scanner reports.

Updated below. The Fridley Fire Department responded to a small fire at the Fridley Terrace manufactured-home park at about 10 p.m. Friday, according to Twin Cities Fire Wire. But according to a person monitoring Anoka County Emergency Dispatch radio, the fire later rekindled and the home was fully engulfed at about 2:15 a.m. Saturday. See one of Twin Cities Fire Wire's photos in the Storify window above (or at Storify.com) and five more photos and an article from the scene Friday night at TwinCitiesFireWire.com. Update (7:45 p.m. Saturday): A Twin Cities Fire Wire comment questions whether the fire indeed rekindled: It may or may not have been a rekindle. Investigations are still under way. Squads reported smoke and flames inside the home…

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UPDATED: Fridley FD Responds to Apartment Fire

Twin Cities Fire Wire was on the scene in the 1600 block of 73rd Ave. NE Thursday afternoon.

Update (8 a.m. Friday): Twin Cities Fire Wire has a post with 12 photos and an article about the apartment fire on 73rd Avenue NE in Fridley on Thursday:  Fridley Captain 11 arrived reporting smoke showing from the top floor of a multi-story apartment building. Fridley firefighters entered the structure with extinguishers to contain the fire as an Apartment attack line was stretched to the fire floor. Crews were able to quickly knock the fire down and found the fire had made its way into the ductwork extending into the attack space. Crews pulled ceiling and opened the roof up to prevent the further spread of fire. Read the full article at twincitiesfirewire.com. Twin Cities Fire Wire also provided Fridley Patch with four more photos from …

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Fridley Fire Capt. Kevin Swanson Retires

He served city's fire department for 32 years.

The Fridley Fire Department announced the retirement of Capt. Kevin Swanson on Facebook Wednesday: Today is the day that we have been talking about for the last several months...Today Capt. Kevin Swanson (Captain 31) hangs up his boot on the rack for the final time. As of 1700hrs today, he will be retiring from the Fridley Fire Department. ** Thank You Kevin for 32 years dedicated service! You will be missed greatly! Dogtown (Station 3) will not be the same! Take care of yourself, enjoy your retirement! Take Care Brother! ** Melissa Reed offered her best wishes in a comment: Unbelievable no FFD without Kevin! Best of luck in your retirement Kevin! Do you know Capt. Swanson? Leave a comment below!

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SPRING FORWARD: When Exactly Do We Set Clocks Ahead for Daylight Saving Time?

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors need your attention too, the Fridley Fire Department says.

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead by an hour before you go to bed Saturday evening: Daylight saving time starts at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 10, 2013.  Remember, you’ll “spring forward” that night. Many electronic devices automatically adjust when Daylight Savings Time begins or ends. Here is the Daylight Saving message from the Fridley Fire Department: The Fridley Fire Department reminds you to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when you change your clocks on March 10 for Daylight Saving Time Every day in the United States, needless home fire deaths occur. Working smoke alarms significantly increase your chance of surviving a deadly home fire. A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing …

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Fridley in a Frame

(UPDATED) PHOTO: Practicing Ice Rescue on Moore Lake

Ducks made way for Fridley firefighters.

Tim Simonson shared his photo on the Fridley Patch Facebook page: "The Fridley Fire Department was conducting some ice rescue training on East Moore Lake today. All of the ducks had to move out of their open water space for a while." Update: Fridley Fire Chief John Berg explained in an email Monday: Fridley conducted training for recruit firefighters on ice rescue and will be running scenario based training for everyone tonight and tomorrow morning.  

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UPDATED (PHOTOS): Fridley, 3 Other Cities Help Columbia Heights Fight House Fire

Crews came from as far away as Brooklyn Park, Twin Cities Fire Wire reported.

Update (5:15 p.m. Saturday): Twin Cities Fire Wire has added a dozen photos to the site's original post on the Feb. 15, 2013 house fire on 39th Avenue NE, Columbia Heights. Three new photos by Twin Cities Fire Wire newly uploaded to this post show Fridley Fire Department firefighters on the scene. Original post (9 a.m. Saturday): The Fridley Fire Department and crews from three other cities hurried to Columbia Heights last night to lend assistance at the scene of a house fire Friday night in the 1800 block of 39th Avenue NE, according to scanner reports and Twin Cities Fire Wire. Ice clung to the west side of the one-story house just north of Hart Lake Saturday morning, with a blackened storage trunk and other posessions from the house …

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10 Photos from Elm Street Fire at Twin Cities Fire Wire

The web page has closeups of Fridley firefighters at scene of blaze at limo service and auto shop.

Check out some very sharp closeup photos of Fridley Fire Department crews fighting a fire early Tuesday at the Twin City Fire Wire website. The post also includes a detailed description of how Fridley, with help from Coon Rapids and SBM fire departments, attacked the blaze. Since the first Fridley Patch post on the fire Tuesday, Fire Chief John Berg clarified the name of the limousine service housed in part of the one-story structure at 7800 Elm St. NE: A1 Limo. Berg also said by email that FFD crews cleared the scene at 2:21 a.m. They arrived just after midnight. Read more:

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(UPDATED) PHOTOS: Fire Overnight on Elm Street in Fridley

The commercial building at 7800 Elm St. NE houses automotive businesses.

Update (1:30 p.m. Tuesday): Fridley Fire Chief John Berg said in an email Tuesday that an overnight fire at a commercial building on Elm Street NE started when a gas can ignited, injuring one person: The fire was reported just after midnight by one of two occupants that reported they had a gasoline fire in the building. Both occupants escaped, one with minor burns. They were apparently transferring gasoline from a vehicle to a gas can when it ignited. They attempted to fight the fire but, were forced out of the building. The fire ignited a vehicle in the building. Firefighters encountered heavy black smoke and supplied the building fire suppression system until they were able use a thermal imager to determine that it was a vehicle on fire…

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Twin Cities Fire Wire Details Fridley Response to Monday House Fire

Firefighters got hoses ready but a 2-1/2-gallon water extinguisher took care of the grease cooking fire.

Twin Cities Fire Wire was on the scene for a house fire in Fridley on Monday that sounded worse than it turned out to be. Photos and description tell how crews prepared for a fight but ended up putting out the kitchen cooking fire with a fire extinguisher. Everyone got out of the two-story home in the 6300 block of Benjamin Street NE, although one person who tried to put out a grease fire with water was taken to the hospital with burns, Fridley Fire Chief John Berg told Patch. No firefighters were hurt. Damage to the house was minimal. Links:

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