BEMIDJI — Two blocks around downtown Bemidji were evacuated as crews worked to repair a broken gas line Wednesday, May 28.
The Bemidji Police Department said that the leak was in a supply line in the 300 block of Beltrami Avenue, prompting the evacuations and closure around Third and Fourth streets and Beltrami Avenue.
The public is asked to stay out of the area until the leak is repaired.
The Bemidji Senior Center was one of the buildings evacuated. The organization said it will close for the day.
Later in the afternoon, the Bemidji Fire Department announced the leak was isolated around 3 p.m. and that the incident remains under investigation. Evacuation orders were lifted around then, with residents and business owners able to return.
Minnesota Energy crews remain on scene to repair the leak.
-
Contributed/Minnesota Secretary of State's OfficeSecretary of State Steve Simon presented five St. Louis County election workers with Excellence in Election Awards on Nov. 20, 2025. -
Andrew Dziengel/KAXEAfter receiving private grant funding for a new permanent exhibit, the Beltrami County Historical Society is seeking a diverse group of people to serve on an Exhibit Advisory Committee. -
Contributed/Minnesota Department of Public SafetyThe Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified the man and deputies involved in a deadly exchange of gunfire in Onigum on Nov. 16, 2025. -
Chelsey Perkins/KAXENorth Star Manganese CEO Rick Sandri presented the findings Nov. 12, 2025, to the Emily City Council and an overflow crowd of people at Emily City Hall.
