Explosion in Superior: The phone message arrived at our offices by mid-morning on Thursday as our crew member's relative, working in Superior, announced that an explosion there shook the building he was in. At least 11 people were injured in that initial blast that fueled a massive pillar of black smoke. By afternoon, thousands of Superior residents and dozens of workplaces closed as a precaution after a series of explosions blasted the Husky Energy oil refinery on the southside of the city. The U.S. Coast Guard established a safety zone (graphic at right), restricting vessel traffic within the port area, but it is no longer in effect. Many people and their pets spent the night in Duluth's DECC, where Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker visited last night with Superior Mayor Jim Paine and Duluth Mayor Emily Larson. The evacuation order was mandatory for a 3-mile radius around the refinery and highly recommended for those within 10 miles south because of potential toxins in the smoke. An advisory about the smoke, which shifted, later included parts of western Duluth. The evacuation order was lifted at 6 a.m. today. Public schools in Superior, let out early yesterday, remain closed today. The initial explosion apparently occurred in a tower near an asphalt storage tank, according to the Duluth News Tribune. The refinery is in the process of a temporary shutdown for maintenance and inspection, a particularly dangerous time for potential accidents, refinery officials have said. Around 7 p.m., the fire was declared extinguished, but a secondary fire ignited later in the evening. There were no fatalities reported from the explosions. Essentia Health reported treating and releasing 15 patients plus 1 admitted into the hospital with a blast injury who is listed in good condition this morning. Nearby Enbridge Energy, with millions of gallons of petroleum products on site, was not affected.
The Leader Going Into the Stretch: As of today, Marquette remains at the top of the voting heap for USA Today's "Best Small Town for Adventure," well ahead of the perhaps more familiar Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Bar Harbor, Maine. The contest entry describes the city thusly: "The largest town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, still small Marquette sits on the shores of Lake Superior, making it a hot spot for outdoor enthusiasts. Presque Isle Park serves as the launching point for kayaking, canoeing and standup paddleboarding, while McCarty’s Cove offers a family-friendly beach. Hikers and paddlers come from all over the world to explore the rock formations of nearby Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore." Hey, and don't forget those biking trails!
A Dash of Saltie: The Federal Bering (seen here in a FedNav photo) arrived as the first oceangoing vessel into Thunder Bay on Sunday, April 22, a bit later than the usual first week of April thanks to heavy ice, reports the Thunder Bay CBC. The ship is under the flag of the Marshall Islands. The Federal Bering's Captain Philips Kuruvilla was honoured with the official top hat ceremony, similar to the one performed March 28 on the CSL Welland, the first laker into the port this 2018 season. The Federal Bering was loaded with 21,000 metric tonnes of grain for Casablanca, Morocco. The first saltie into Duluth this year, the Federal Weser, arrived April 12, as reported by Fox21.
Ha Ha, Indeed: A "cheeky" sign in Copper Harbor, Michigan, caught the attention of MLive writer John Serba recently. "Ha ha," he writes of the sign identifying Miami, Florida, as 1,990 miles away. "As if anyone would rather be sweltering on some crummy Florida beach next to an ocean full of sharks and gross jellyfish, and not surrounded on three sides by the brutal majesty of that great devourer of ships, Lake Superior."
New Signs of Spring: Quite a few signs that we've slipped (finally some may say) firmly into spring are surfacing around the Big Lake. Lovely temperatures are one (highs reaching the 50° F mark and above with forecasts of up to 70° or more next week). This morning after light rains last night in Duluth, there lingered the distinctive not-winter smell of worms in the Heights. But if you don't believe those, we have a couple more sure signs.
Last weekend, the Canadian Coast Guard reopened its seasonally operated Thunder Bay rescue station. The station has eight crew members who work four at a time, two weeks on, two weeks off, reports Gary Rinne of TBNewsWatch.com. The station uses the 14-metre (45-foot) lifeboat Cape Chaillon for its operations. Thunder Bay was the last of the Canadian Coast Guard’s seasonal stations to open. Seven others opened earlier in the month.
One more sign of spring comes to us from SooToday, which posted a video of a mama bear with three curious cubs taking on a backyard barbecue grill at Birkshire Place in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Who could blame the four bruins, likely hungry after their long winter’s nap. The homeowner, after watching and recording the bears for a time, finally encourages them to move along, calling out, “Shoo! Away you go! Off you go!” and so they did. A most civil encounter.
Unplugged Island: Madeline Island is known as a great place to unplug, but residents would prefer not to be without power, as happened this week when a power pole and transformer tumbled into Lake Superior, leaving the north end of the island without electricity. The embankment on which the pole was located eroded into the Lake, reports Madeline Island Ferry Line on its Facebook page. The ferry did a special 1:45 a.m. run Thursday to bring a crew from Excel Energy to the island, but the crew said reinforcements were needed. Power apparently was restored, Cynthia Dalzell noted on the ferry Facebook page. "They got the power back on about 10 minutes before my sheep shearer showed up," she wrote. "Perfect Timing! Thank you!"
Beautiful Bears: Artist Leah Yellowbird will introduce her newest works tonight in the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center, among them this 9-foot pom-pom bear sculpture. The exhibit “Dimensions” will showcase Leah’s black velvet beadwork designs plus her signature pointillist paintings that stunningly mimic traditional beadwork. Her art style reflects her First Nations Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe heritage with which Leah strongly identifies. After her first exhibit in 2013 at Duluth’s American Indian Housing Organization, popularly called AICHO, Leah’s work has been shown in other galleries, including the Tweed Art Museum at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She recently was commissioned to design the floor of the new government building in Virginia, Minnesota. The exhibit’s opening reception is 5:30 p.m. tonight with refreshments and the artist speaking. A $10 donation is suggested.
Norgorma Ordered to Sail Away: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario's City Council voted 8-3 Monday to remove the Norgoma Museum Ship from its waterfront berth. The CBC reports that city staff will now explore options for the historic former passenger ship, including sale to a Chicago man who wants to operate it as a mobile museum. The nonprofit St. Mary's River Marine Heritage Centre owns the vessel.
Photo & graphic credits: David Schauer; U.S. Coast Guard; FedNav; Darrell Harden; Canadian Coast Guard; SooToday; Madeline Island Ferry Line; AICHO Galleries.