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At 12:01 Pm on March 20, 2010, the Duluth Fire Department was dispatched to a report of a fire in the wall at 2325 W 7th St.  Lincoln Park's Engine Company Number Two arrived first on scene and reported light smoke coming from the attic vent at the front of the house.  The tenant advised them that the fire was in the wall on the second floor of the duplex. 

They entered the house and found smoke banking down to about waist level on the 2nd floor.  They chopped open the wall that was burning and extinguished the fire with a hose line from the engine.  The fire also burned a small area inside the wall on the first level of the duplex, but this area was also cut open and extinguished.

After most of the fire rigs had left the scene, an area in the attic space began to generate smoke and all fire crews were called back to the scene to fight the attic fire.  This second flare up damaged the roof and ceiling area of the second floor apartment.  The firefighting effort was hindered due to the fire entering a hidden area in the attic.

The damage estimate is $50,000 for the building and $10,000 for the contents.  There were no civilians injured by the fire and no firefighters were injured during the firefighting operation.  Two families were dislocated by the fire and Red Cross assisted them both with temporary housing.  The duplex will not be habitable until major repair work is completed on the structure.

The cause of the fire was investigated by the Duluth Fire Marshall's Office and was determined to be from an overloaded electrical circuit overheating.