On November 11th, 2017, @ 10:45AM, the Merrill Fire Department was dispatched by the Lincoln County 911 Communications Center for a report of a garage on fire in the City of Merrill. Initial response from Merrill Fire Department included Engine 62, Medic 63, and Medic 62. Command from Engine 62 requested off–duty personnel to cover the station and Tomahawk EMS to stand-by in Irma and Pine River Fire Department for an engine.
Upon arrival the company officer of Engine 62 assumed command and reported 20 by 20 foot garage with smoke showing from the outside of the building. The crew donned self-contained breathing apparatus and pulled a hose line around to the side of the garage where there was a service door to make entry as smoke was coming out from the eaves. Fire company members made entry into the garage and searched for the fire. The fire was extinguished and the large garage door was opened to clear the smoke out.
The Merrill Fire Department received mutual aid from the Merrill Police Department with traffic control, and Lincoln County EMS Tomahawk for EMS stand-by. Pine River Fire Department was called off also as the fire was quickly extinguished. The garage was searched with a thermal imaging camera (TIC), no other evidence of the fire extending into the garage.
The cause of the fire was a propane space heater too close to combustibles.