GRAND FORKS, ND-EAST GRAND FORKS, MN (trfnews.i234.me) This week marks the 23rd anniversary of the flood of 1997. The flood disaster and fire prompted one of the largest mass evacuations in American history. Today, 25 years later, the people who live here have proven it’s one of the best places in America to live.
* Story was originally published in April of 2017.
hi everyone Neil Berg here in downtown Grand Forks 20 years ago this week I was reporting from here in downtown Grand Forks in the middle of the night when water from the nearby Red River began to rush through the streets of downtown much of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks had already been flooded causing one of the largest evacuations in American history but little did we know that the worst was yet to come on April 19th of 1997 a major fire started in downtown Grand Forks that destroyed 11 buildings here’s a look back at some of the events of that week there are now burned into the memories of everyone who lived through thousands of electric customers in Eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota suffered through a third day without heat the weekend storm had knocked out power and spots all over the region nearly a thousand power poles up and down the valley snapped under thick ice and high winds underneath the water and ice just to get that out it’s gonna take a long time this is the problem from Crookston to the Canadian border snapped off power poles litter the landscape like broken matchsticks several power companies are facing the same problem a mile after mile of downed lines but it could be quite a wait for the 3700 now powerless customers served by PKM electric in northwestern Minnesota you know we’re looking at 2 to 3 days on the eastern part of the system and probably 5 to 7 days on the western part of the system in argyle Minnesota there is no power the gas stove at will scoff fate has made this the town’s only warm spot as a small generator provides a bit of light some 30 people spent the night here I take it as pretty cold of your own you couldn’t tough at all it anymore fire department came to pick you a fireman yeah they came in pickups they come and got us you’ve got people out delivering meals to to others I can’t get out yep the fire department has been taking them and then if they can’t get through they’ve been taking them on snow cats have you run out of food in the restaurant yeah we’re starting to run out we’re going over to the farmer gaol and getting the food that it’s gonna go to spoil there and then using that up – okay so you’re cleaning up the grocery store – yep the de water was running about two feet deep with the Lincoln National Guard troops blocked access to anyone other than homeowners and emergency workers oopss water here on lincoln jim thompson caught a ride to check on his place we’re taking a governor or whatever you have to eat Bobby it’s for safety reasons Thompson’s family was one of more than 800 who have been evacuated from their Grand Forks homes one of the media escorts found out here is another and on Euclid Avenue homeowners were getting ready to go and many they had already lost their homes helped stage yet another battle against the red Cheryl home they left in the middle of the night what did you what did you prepare to take off two items the dog home owners have had to evacuate don’t know what they’ll go home to or when but the scenery suggest they should brace themselves for bad news you’re looking at a live shot of smoke pouring from downtown Grand Forks that’s from the security building in downtown Grand Forks the water’s too deep they can’t even get into that area they’re going to let it burn there’s nothing they could do about it [Music] at daybreak the flames were still raging as fire gutted the heart of downtown Grand Forks National Guard troops pulled people from nearby apartment buildings as the flames consumed historic landmarks [Music] things get covered trying to save their businesses [Music] a helicopter was on the scene again today it made run after run dipping down to fill its water bucket from one disaster to stop another [Music] if you know the security building and you know the Herald building behind the original Herald office everything between the two gathers an entire block would become side consider to be destroyed the other block that sustained heavy damage was the First National Bank block with bonzers next star there and a couple other businesses i names escape me right now and then first financial center across the street from first national sustained heavy damage so we’re talking about damage on three different blocks here right right damage on three different bugs yeah we don’t believe we’ll lose any further buildings and revitalized and while the city struggles with fire the u.s. West employee called the situation at its Grand Forks communication headquarters critical floodwaters were threatening the telephone system my own home is going under it may not be totaled but now I am in the same bucket with the rest of you I do not feel bad for one reason because we will rebuild and we do have faith and I believe in our people and I believe together we will all pull out of this and our city will be stronger one of the things I do want to do is from my heart thank all the area residents for the way they have responded when we made the call that call was to house tens of thousands of people who have been left homeless by this monumental disaster [Music] bells from Sacred Heart Catholic Church rang out but few were around to hear them the message to East Grand Forks residents was simple don’t come back for now because there’s nothing to come back to right now we have to basically rebuild our community it may be anywhere from a week to a month before East Side residents can return many only define their homes and ruin at its worst the waters more than 15 feet deep submerging houses north of downtown forcing others off their foundations the top of a downtown strip mall barely peaking out and National Guard troops not surrendering yet trying to sandbag the police building no dollar amount on damage but Minnesota congressman Collin Peterson is sure it’ll be in the billions we need to do something more than just what FEMA has available under this disaster declaration we’ve gotten the entire declaration which includes grant money and low-interest loans but in my judgment that is not adequate to address this situation Minnesota governor Arne Carlson made a 15-minute appearance at Crookston High School the evacuation center for East Grand Forks flood victims many had only moments to leave their homes I looked out the window about 4:15 and just started rolling up the street so no time no time [Music] inside organized chaos people picked up basic necessities applied for disaster and unemployment assistance and left information where they’re staying if somebody calls in and they’re trying to find somebody then we look and hopefully we know where they are Jim and Vickie mitts will feel fortunate because they have relatives to stay with in Crookston I think it’s gonna be long because they’re saying it’s weeks before they’ll let us back in that’s the hard part going back to find out what’s lost we don’t know how much stick together we’re gonna make it through this we’re gonna rebuild this town as Air Force One touched down at the Grand Forks Air Force Base this morning the enormity of the situation was being shown to the world upon landing President Clinton greeted governor’s edge Schafer and Arne Carlson and a long line of others who worked so hard with a cast of thousands to try and save the cities of Grand Forks in East Grand Forks from the air the president got a bird’s-eye view of the devastation that lay below a tragedy for our region that is simply unparalleled and unprecedented a tragedy from which will spring recovery and when I saw pictures of some of you a stacking sandbags and a blizzard I thought that I had bad reception on my television at first it was an amazing thing I don’t recall ever in my life seeing anything like this and I have been very impressed by the the courage and the faith that all of you have shown in the face of what has been a terrible terrible dilemma why did the priests I have in my heart you people here helping us it is the phrase from the Bible it says it’s my brother he’s not heavy they will rebuild and we will be much stronger in the future ladies and gentlemen it is with great pride and honor that I’m able to introduce the president United States President Bill Clinton the next few days are going to be very very hard on a lot of people a lot of you who’ve been very very brave and courageous and water cannot wash that away and fire cannot burn that away and a blizzard cannot freeze that away and if you don’t give it away it will bring you back better than ever and will be there with you every step of the way thank you [Applause] have patience it’s going to take time we’re with you and the government is with you to help you out I think it’s the same feeling everybody’s gotten so what the hell is going on here it’s time when you need your friends your neighbors your family then ice came home one day I said Joey we gotta clean out the house it’s she’s going over it was really scary like I’ve never even heard of any is like this and stick together we’re gonna make it through this with rebuild this town and me better than ever six months later the scars of the flood still dominate Demers Avenue but looks can be deceiving I regard the recovery as as good as it could be and I’d like to see it move faster but government it just doesn’t move fast fortunately the residents have moved fast city officials estimate better than 90 percent of businesses operating before the flood are back in business commercial construction on the city’s north end is booming and the reopening of the holiday mall is feeding a rebirth downtown the biggest recovery frustration is commercial buyouts which city officials admit have been too slow in coming I have to really compliment our business people for being dedicated to the city and the patience they have had with us but rather have moved faster than it has hold buyouts on the other hand are moving along quite nicely like it’s big sister across the river East Grand Forks will likely buy out more than 500 flood damaged homes but unlike Grand Forks checks here are coming right out of City Hall and that means East Grand Forks is literally hundreds ahead in getting money into the hands of homeowners today former lincoln park resident bill razmik and his four children are one of 240 families living in FEMA trailers I miss our bunk beds and I miss having all that space does it feel like home no just being close to my friends in that trying to get into one of those at the city you get building over here we get in there yet this year supposedly December 2nd if the pair get done dealing with SBA loan for the majority of flood victims getting the buyouts and financial paperwork cleared up has been a frustrating waiting game and according to housing officials it could be at least two years before everyone has a chance to get back in a home in the meantime work is underway to finish cleaning up the rubble downtown and plans are underway to begin construction of a new financial corporate Center downtown next year it’s hoped that Center will attract new businesses and be the beginning of a better Grand Forks right now I think we will experience a boom for a couple years and it may taper off at the end but I really believe that in the long and it will help our city and that’s terrible to say a disaster you know can help your city but that’s the way we have to do it because otherwise we wouldn’t survive [Music] you
25th Anniversary Retrospective: Grand Forks/EGF Flood-Fire of 1997 Rewind
