Press Releases - 2010

December 2010

Cause of Edina house fire not yet known. The cause of an early morning fire in Edina that claimed the life of one person is still undetermined. An investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Division is ongoing, and at this time, no indication has been given as to the cause or origin of the fire. ...

Heavy snowfall buries hydrants, heat vents. As you dig out from the weekend’s heavy snowfall, don’t forget about furnace vents, gas meters and hydrants on and around your home. ...

Holiday season time for increased fire safety. ‘Tis the season of chestnuts roasting, Christmas trees glowing, menorahs burning and fireplaces roaring. Unfortunately, all of these holiday traditions come with a risk of starting a fire. It takes just a little common sense and some thoughtful discretion to keep your holidays safe as well as enjoyable. ...

Edina Fire Department serves as drop site for Edina school bus food drive. For the third year in a row, Edina Fire Station No. 1 served as the drop site for a food drive started by two Edina school bus drivers. ...

Edina Police and Fire Departments collecting toys for less fortunate children. The Edina Police and Fire Departments are once again seeking donations of toys, books, games and winter clothing for the Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) Holiday Gift Store. ...

November 2010

Renter’s Insurance Affordable, Smart. Early last month, a devastating fire tore through a large apartment complex in Fargo, N.D., damaging 62 units and leaving approximately 150 people without a home. ...

October 2010

Edina Fire Department responds to chemical spill at Edina High School. At 7:50 a.m. Oct. 15, the Edina Fire Department responded to a chemical spill at Edina High School, 6754 Valley View Road. No one was injured, but both Edina High School and Valley View Middle School were evacuated and classes canceled as precautionary measures. ...

Edina fire trucks/ambulances now more visible at night. Edina fire trucks and ambulances will now stick out like a sore thumb on dark highways and City roadways, and officials say that is a good thing. ...

September 2010

Smoke alarms, a sound you can live with. In my opinion, working smoke alarms are as essential to life as food and water. That’s why it is so hard for me to understand how homes in our community can still be without them. ...

July 2010

Edina Fire Department hires new paramedic/firefighter from paid-on-call staff. Brandon Winkel, a Richfield native, began work as a paramedic/firefighter on the Edina Fire Department’s C-Shift on July 1. ...

Edina Fire Department responds to two weekend incidents. The Edina Fire Department responded to two separate fire incidents, both potentially related to severe weather, in the early morning hours last weekend. ...

Unattended cooking results in another Edina apartment fire. Unattended cooking continues to be the leading cause of fires in Edina and across the nation. The Edina Fire Department responded to another cooking fire incident early Wednesday morning. ...

Edina Paramedic/Firefighter honored with Liberty Mutual ‘Firemark Award’. Edina Paramedic/Firefighter Brian Hanrahan was presented the Liberty Mutual Firemark Award at the July 20 meeting of the Edina City Council. ...

June 2010

Edina Fire Department responds to fire fatality. An Edina man died yesterday after catching fire while attempting to drill holes in multiple propane gas tanks at his home at the corner of Maloney and Harrison avenues. Investigators believe a spark from the man’s drill ignited propane gas vapors coming from the small tanks. ...

Edina Fire Department welcomes new paramedic/firefighter. Joshua Link recently began work as a paramedic/firefighter for the Edina Fire Department’s B-Shift. His first day of work was Monday, June 7. ...

Three Edina fire supervisors receive public safety officer certification. Edina Fire Training & Safety Battalion Chief Tom Schmitz, Fire Marshal Tom Jenson and Capt. Craig Essig were among 13 public safety leaders to complete the first offering of the Hamline Graduate School of Business Public Safety Officer Certificate Program. ...

May 2010

Essig promoted to Edina Fire Department Captain. Edina Fire Department Lieutenant Craig Essig was recently promoted to the position of Captain, filling the role left vacant by the retirement of former Captain Jim Robinson. ...

Edina Fire Department extinguishes basement bedroom fire. A working smoke alarm combined with a quick 9-1-1 call by homeowners allowed the Edina Fire Department to contain and extinguish a small basement fire before it could spread throughout an Edina home. ...

Edina Fire Department douses attic fire, cause undetermined. The cause of a late-afternoon attic fire in an Edina townhome is under investigation as officials try to determine why areas of insulation and wood framing began burning. ...

Training Facility to hold free Women’s Fire Expo. The Edina Fire Department has once again teamed with a number of area fire departments and the North Star Women’s Firefighters Association to bring the Women’s Fire Service Expo to Edina. ...

Spring burning ban lifted. On Wednesday, May 5, Edina’s spring open burning restrictions were lifted. Recreational fires are once again allowed in the City with a permit...

April 2010

Sun Current Guest Column: What is a Recreational Fire? What’s the definition of a recreational fire? I asked myself that question as our Department began updating our regulations on the popular outdoor activity earlier this spring. ...

Quick action by off-duty Edina Paramedic/Firefighter helps save man’s life. Just because Edina Paramedic/Firefighter Brian Hanrahan is off-duty, it doesn’t mean he is off the job. ...

March 2010

Spring burning restrictions in effect in Edina. Spring open burning restrictions went into effect in Edina on Monday, March 29, and will remain in effect until further notice. ...

Quick call to 9-1-1 saves burning home. A house remodel suddenly became a house fire on Wednesday, March 17, when sparks from construction ignited insulation in the home’s wall. ...

February 2010

Edina Fire Department responds to basement fire. The Edina Fire Department quickly extinguished a basement fire that broke out in an Edina home. ...

Edina home explosion rocks neighborhood, City. On Tuesday, Feb. 23, a home located in the 5000 block of Arden Avenue in Edina exploded as the result of a natural gas line rupture that occurred earlier in the day. ...

Edina Fire Department douses ceiling fire. Investigators believe that a radiant heating system in the ceiling of an Edina home may have caused an early-morning fire that left the house with structural damage to its roof and ceiling. ...

Edina Fire Department aids in rescue of man trapped in corn bin. The Edina Fire Department and members of its Special Operations Team (SOT) put their specialized rescue training to good use last Thursday, helping free a man who had fallen and was trapped inside a 50-foot grain bin in Farmington, Minn. ...

January 2010

Minnesotan hopes family’s tragedy will serve as reminder to others. When I decided to contact Eddie Kempf-Schwarze in December, I knew it was going to be one of the hardest phone calls I’ve ever had to make. ...

Edina Fire Department’s auger rescue in Eden Prairie demonstrates benefit of mutual aid. In a demonstration of their mutual aid agreements, the Edina Fire Department assisted their counterparts in Eden Prairie in freeing a man whose arm had become trapped in an auger just days before Christmas. ...

Edina Fire Department reminds residents to call 9-1-1 during fires. A routine fire call has prompted the Edina Fire Department to issue a reminder to residents and businesses on the importance of calling 9-1-1 during a fire. ...