Fires destroy house on HIghway K, damage apartment in Stone Lake

Area fire departments responded to two structure fires over the past weekend, one of which destroyed a house on Landgraf Lane in the town of Bass lake and the other which damaged an apartment on Main Street in Stone Lake.

Qt 6:15 a.m. Monday April 22, a passerby called in a fire at an apartment occupied by Frank Kearns next door to the business he owns, Marie’s Hideaway bar and restaurant, on West Main Street in Stone Lake. The passerby assisted Kearns in escaping injury.

The Stone Lake Fire Department responded to the scene with 12 firefighters, with mutual aid from the Town of Bass Lake and City of Hayward fire departments.

“The fire got into his attic, but we had a very good initial attack; we knocked it down right away,” said Stone Lake Fire Chief Rob Paine. ‘It was a very good save; it never got into the bar.

“There was a lot of smoke and water damage in the apartment,” Paine said. “It started by the furnace, and burned up into the ceiling. He (Kearns) saved all of his memorabilia.”

The Red Cross and Salvation Army are assisting Kearns with a place to stay and clothing.

Fire departments put 3,000 to 4,000 gallons of water on the fire.

On Friday April 19, a fire of undetermined origin destroyed a two-story home at 7647N Landgraf Road, south of Hwy. K near the northwest bay of Lac Court Oreilles.

The two occupants of the house, Ronald Highsmith and his girlfriend, escaped without injury. They were assisted by the Salvation Army and are staying in a motel.

Multiple fire departments were paged out to the blaze at 4:20 a.m. and were on scene until 7:30 a.m.

Bass Lake Fire Chief Chris Headley said Monday “we don’t know yet what started it, whether it was electrical or his wood stove. It was a very nice home.”

Incident Commander Mike Herrmann said the house was a total loss. “Fire was through the roof already when we got there,” he said. The occupants “woke up, the house was full of smoke and when they went outside, the fire was already running the full length of the eaves.”

Responding to the scene were firefighters with vehicles from the Town of Bass Lake, Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal, Town of Hayward, City of Hayward, Stone Lake and Round Lake. A water site was set up at the LCO public boat landing on Hwy.K.

Firefighters saved a three-car garage 10 feet from the house and a 500-gallon propane tank 10 feet from the house, Herrmann said.

The owners saved a few things, Herrmann said. The Red Cross is helping them out.