Thief River Falls (trfnews.i234.me) – A potentially catastrophic incident was narrowly avoided Friday afternoon in Thief River Falls, after a semi tractor caught fire inside a large storage facility—prompting a fast response from local firefighters.
The fire was reported at 4:30 p.m. at the building commonly referred to as the Hartz Warehouse, near the intersection of First Street and Arnold Avenue, according to Thief River Falls Fire Chief Rick Beier.
The semi, a 2007 Kenworth, had been parked inside the structure about two hours prior by owner Todd Carlson. The fire originated from the semi, which was completely destroyed.
Firefighters remained on the scene for approximately 90 minutes, working to contain the blaze and protect the warehouse and any DigiKey inventory stored there.
The building is owned by Paradis’ Inc., and DigiKey, a major electronics distributor, reportedly utilizes the space for storage. Damage estimates are still pending.
Chief Beier confirmed that while the State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause, there is no suspicion of foul play at this time.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News
🔍 Did you know?
-
Semi-truck fires are often caused by electrical issues, overheating, or fluid leaks, especially after prolonged operation.
-
The Hartz warehouse is a well-known industrial structure in Thief River Falls, used for commercial storage.
-
DigiKey Electronics, a major employer in the region, stores inventory in multiple facilities throughout Pennington County.
-
Non-suspicious fires can still lead to insurance investigations, safety reviews, and warehouse access restrictions.
-
Rapid response by the Thief River Falls Fire Department likely prevented damage from spreading to adjacent storage.