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.
-
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe staff also found starry stonewort in Six Mile Lake, near the city of Cass Lake. -
Larissa Donovan/KAXEThe Bemidji Planning Board voted 6-1 to prohibit new developments of data centers greater than 10,000 square feet during its meeting Sept. 14, 2026. -
Contributed/USFWS Midwest RegionDuring the Phenology Report for the week of Sept. 15, 2026, Staff Phenologist John Latimer discovers Nevada flora and fauna and notes seasonal transitions in Northern MN. -
Plus: DNR cancels mineral lease for Twin Metals; and ICE's immigration crackdown last winter may have ripple effects for farm labor during harvest season.
