Sawdust Trailer Fire at Voyageur Log Homes Near Orr Contained; Investigation Underway

A semi‑trailer positioned to catch sawdust at Voyageur Log Homes in Cusson, about four miles north of Orr, caught fire the evening of Feb. 15 and was quickly contained by area fire crews, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said. The sheriff’s office release reported the call came in at approximately 5:26 p.m., and that no injuries resulted from the incident.

The sheriff’s release described the item on fire as "a semi trailer, which was positioned to catch sawdust, produce during the manufacturing process." Multiple news outlets echoed that description and the containment timeline. Northland Fire Wire reporter Pete Makowski added that "the trailer contained sawdust, which is piped in from the building," giving additional detail on how the collection system was operating at the Voyageur Log Homes manufacturing site on County Road 180.

Mutual‑aid response included several area departments. "The Orr, Buyck, Cook, Crane Lake, and Bois Forte fire departments responded, along with the Orr Ambulance Service which provided medical standby at the scene," Pete Makowski reported. The sheriff’s release listed the Orr Fire Department and "other assisting units" as the initial responders; Orr Ambulance Service was noted specifically as providing medical standby in the Northland Fire Wire account.

Most official and media accounts described the damage as limited. "Upon the arrival of fire department resources, the fire was quickly contained. Damage was limited to the trailer and sawdust exhaust ducting," the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office wrote. One media account, however, noted a slightly broader impact: "Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the trailer, although an adjacent manufacturing building did have some minor exterior damage," Pete Makowski reported for Northland Fire Wire. That detail has not been confirmed by the sheriff’s office release.

The sheriff’s office said investigation into the cause is ongoing: "The case of the fire remains under investigation." The release lists Sgt. E. Hanegmon as the media contact for the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office; the office is at 100 North Fifth Avenue West in Duluth and the listed phone number is (218) 726-2340. The sheriff named in the release header is Gordon Ramsay.

Times reported for the incident vary slightly across outlets; the sheriff’s release gives approximately 5:26 p.m., while other reports described the call as "about 5:30 p.m." Officials have not released a suspected cause or an incident report; the Orr Fire Department, St. Louis County dispatch records, or Voyageur Log Homes management would be the next sources to confirm the dispatch timeline and any exterior building damage.