Duluth Fire Suspects Human Cause of Esmond Building Fire

DULUTH, Minn.-An official cause of the fire at the condemned Esmond building in Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood is still unknown tonight, but Duluth fire officials suspect it was human-caused. Due to the extent of the damage, it is still unsafe for crews to conduct thorough investigation.

Construction services through the city of Duluth have issued a demolition order allowing thirty days to tear down the building. Permits had been issued back in November to demolish the former seaway hotel building, but the Duluth housing and redevelopment authority experienced delays with developers and increased costs. Fire officials say the longer vacant buildings like this sit unused, the more of a hazard they create.

“We want to prevent any fire from happening but particularly vacant buildings. We need to be more responsive as a community in responding to these vacant buildings and working with owners to make sure they are secured and potentially move them on to another use if we can. Get them rehabilitated or get them torn down and a new project in there place,” Deputy Chief, Jon Otis says.

The planning and economic development office and life safety office continue to work on finding uses or demolishing vacant buildings.