Structure fire destroys house near Devil Track Lake

A Cook County resident says he is now homeless after losing all of his possessions and his house in a structure fire near Devil Track Lake Monday night (April 24).

At approximately 6 p.m., a report of a house on fire at 58 Wesley Lane was placed to dispatch at the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. Flames coming from the home were reported during the initial call. Despite efforts from the Maple Hill and Grand Marais fire departments, the home was a total loss.

The house that burned belongs to local resident Harlon Schwab. Following the fire, Schwab told authorities he cleaned the ash out of his fireplace earlier in the day. He then placed the ash inside a bin on the porch. Following that, Schwab said he ate soup for lunch and then took a nap, according to a report from the sheriff’s office.

After his nap, Schwab woke up to find his house on fire, the report continues. Schwab said he was trapped and had to jump through a window to get out of the house. Following the incident, Schwab had burns on his head. He was transported in an ambulance to North Shore Health in Grand Marais. There were no updates on his condition Tuesday morning.

In discussion with local law enforcement following the fire, Schwab said he does not have insurance on his house because he couldn’t afford it. Everything he owned, he told a deputy, was inside the house. After the fire, Schwab said everything he owned “was all gone.”

Schwab lives by himself and is now homeless, according to the report from the sheriff’s department.

Joe Friedrichs April 25, 2023