2 buildings, gazebo destroyed in fire at northern MN resort
A fire destroyed two buildings and a gazebo at a resort in northern Minnesota early Sunday.
The fire started around 1:17 a.m. at the Life of Riley Resort on Lake Vermilion in Orr. According to the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, the blaze began in a gazebo and spread to two adjacent buildings, destroying them all.
The aftermath of the fire.
"In the realm of worst-case scenarios, we were very fortunate," the resort said in a statement on Facebook. "Only unoccupied buildings went up. Gazebo, bait house, store, game room, and the PJ’s."
No injuries were reported, the sheriff's office said.
"[The fire] was seen early and with quick response not only from guests and staff but all those that came out on the call — Cook Fire, Buyck Fire, Vermilion Fire Brigade, EMS, Sheriff, Lake Country Power, and more," the post said. "Thank You to all that helped contain and put out the blaze.
"In typical Riley fashion, if you show up to help, we feed you. The guys got coffee and an early breakfast before we let them go," the resort added.
The resort said they're now going to begin assessing and cleaning up after the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, the sheriff's office said.
The Life of Riley Resort is a fishing resort with 21 cottages and other amenities on Lake Vermillion's Norwegian Bay.
Riley and Dorothy Creigh began to build a spot for friends and family on Lake Vermillion in 1929, which grew into the Life of Riley Resort. It has a long history, including being mentioned in Life magazine as an alleged hideout for Gill Davis, Al Capone's hitman.
