Fatality in structure fire on the Gunflint Trail at Poplar Creek Drive

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement regarding a structure fire that resulted in a fatality on Wednesday night.

The  Gunflint Fire Department was paged to 11 Poplar Creek Drive in the mid-Gunflint Trail area at 10:58 pm, on Dec 28, 2022 to respond to multiple structures in flames. The reporting party also stated that there was possibly a man and a dog in one of the units. Gunflint Trail Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene at 11:29 p.m. to find the buildings fully engulfed in flames.

Curry Richard Thompson, age 50, of Cook County, and his dog were victims of the fire. Thompson was the the trail worker and groomer for the Banadad Trail Association.

“It is absolutely devastating to lose a life to fire and our sympathy is with the family of Curry Thompson”, said Sheriff Pat Eliasen.

The investigation has been turned over to the Minnesota State Fire Marshall. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and investigators will continue to examine the evidence. Responding agencies also included: Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Maple Hill Fire Volunteer Department, Gunflint Trail Ambulance, and North Shore Health Ambulance.

Crews cleared the scene at 2:41 am, after extinguishing all open flames.

Kalli Hawkins December 29, 2022