1 dead after Port Hope Township house fire near Bemidji

Nov. 21—PORT HOPE TOWNSHIP — A man has died after a fully involved structure fire on Sunday evening in Port Hope Township.

According to a release from Bemidji Fire Chief Justin Sherwood, at approximately 7:51 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20, the fire department responded to the report of a structure fire located at 7505 Bittern Road NE in Port Hope Township, about 15 miles northeast of Bemidji. It had also been reported that an adult male was unaccounted for.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a two-story residential structure fully involved in fire. Because of the intensity of the fire, firefighters went into a defensive mode and fought the fire from the exterior with two 2.5-inch attack lines. Additional handlines were also pulled to assist with fire extinguishment, the release said.

After the fire was extinguished, an adult male was found dead inside the home.

Firefighters were on the scene for approximately seven hours, with 34 firefighters and 12 pieces of equipment. The structure and its contents are considered a total loss. No firefighter injuries have been reported.

The Bemidji Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Beltrami County Sheriff's Office, Bemidji Ambulance Service, Blackduck Fire Department, Beltrami Electric and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office.