Superior Landfill blaze takes 5 hours to extinguish

The Superior Fire Department fought a large fire Wednesday, June 3, at the Superior Landfill on Moccasin Mike Road.

No injuries were reported, according to Battalion Chief Howard Huber. Some landfill structure was damaged, but no dollar estimate for the damage was available.

The fire department was called to the landfill at 7:59 p.m. Several engines responded to the blaze, which could be seen for miles as a plume of black smoke rose over Lake Superior. A Superior Telegram photographer on the scene reported hearing a series of small explosions or "pops" coming from the fire.

The fire department attacked the fire with on-site water, assisted by dozens of heavy equipment operators from the city’s Public Works Department. Once on-scene, the public works employees extinguished the fire by covering it with sand. It took roughly five hours to put out the fire. Crews remained at the scene monitoring hot spots until 7 a.m. Thursday, June 4.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Huber said.

Superior Fire Chief Scott Gordon said the landfill has seen similar fires before. During the blaze, off-duty firefighters were at the city's fire stations to cover 911 calls.

1/3: Flames shoot up as crews work on the perimeter of a fire at the Superior Landfill off of Moccasin Mike Road in Superior on Wednesday, June 3. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

2/3: A Superior battalion chief surveys the perimeter of a fire at the Superior Landfill off of Moccasin Mike Road in Superior on Wednesday, June 3. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

3/3: A front-end loader passes by the edge of a fire at the Superior Landfill off of Moccasin Mike Road in Superior on Wednesday, June 3. Loaders dumped sand to contain the fire's spread. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)