Propane Blasts Level Garages in Bemidji Neighborhood

Bemidji firefighters raced to the 1500 block of Bixby Avenue NW around midday Thursday after reports of an explosion and a garage fully engulfed in flames. The initial structure fire quickly escalated when heat triggered violent ruptures in several propane tanks, including multiple 25-pound cylinders and one 100-pound tank, causing boiling liquid expanding vapor explosions, or BLEVEs.[1] A larger blast spread flames to an adjacent building, with neighbors hearing repeated booms throughout the afternoon.[2] The explosions destroyed two garage-type structures and inflicted moderate damage on a nearby home and a vehicle. Law enforcement evacuated residents as a precaution, and power outages plagued the area for hours. The incident unfolded in a residential pocket near Bemidji State University, heightening concerns in the tight-knit northern Minnesota community.[1][3] No civilians or firefighters suffered injuries, a fortunate outcome credited to swift response and resident vigilance. The Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office is probing the fire’s origin, which officials preliminarily deem accidental. Bemidji Fire Department crews contained the blaze, preventing further spread in the woodsy, propane-reliant region common to Minnesota’s lake country.[1]