HERMANTOWN — Two women died Saturday, Jan. 30, after a Hermantown housing complex exploded.
The incident at Green Acres Townhomes near the Duluth Airport was reported around 6:30 p.m., with a dozen agencies responding.
Firefighters contained the subsequent fire to the six-unit building where the explosion occurred, but the explosion caused damage to adjacent buildings.
Two residents of the building, Gayle Nelsen, 89, and Joan Wisneski, 88, died.
Green Acres was evacuated, but a majority of residents were able to return to their homes by midnight.
The Minnesota State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the explosion.
Fighting the fire were the Hermantown, Duluth, Proctor, 148th Air Guard, Canosia and Fredenberg fire departments and Hermantown Public Works. Hermantown, Duluth and Proctor police; the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office; St. Louis County Search and Rescue; St. Louis County 911 Emergency Communications and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also assisted at the scene.
The Hermantown Fire Department thanked the responders — also including Minnesota Power, Minnesota Energy Resources, Red Cross and Mayo Clinic Ambulance — on social media Sunday.
"Additionally, thank you to the neighbors who ran over to assist in the evacuations and to give people temporary shelter until a central site could be coordinated," the post said.
"Lastly, thank you to this great community as a whole. We know people have reached out to help the people who have lost everything. We also had food and drinks supplied to the working crews all night and morning to keep us going."
