Businesses hit reset after fire

A quick and aggressive response by firefighters saved the storefronts at the Bergquist complex last week, but the large warehouses in the back are likely a complete loss.

Cloquet Area Fire District Chief Jesse Buhs said the stores were connected to the warehouses by two breezeways. Both Bergquist Imports and Erbert & Gerbert's sandwich shop sustained smoke damage, but the fire didn't spread to the front.

Erbert & Gerbert's owner Al Kurtz used Facebook to thank fire suppression efforts, saying he hoped to reopen by March 20.

"We got lucky, and thanks to the fire department battling in the cold windy conditions, they saved our spot," Kurtz said. "Thank you everyone for your past business and we look forward to seeing everyone again soon."

The fire burned its way through most of the buildings in the back, including a warehouse filled with wholesale goods for Bergquist Imports and the former Berggren Trayner building.

Buhs said firefighters started their response inside the warehouse and knocked down the bulk of the fire. However, the incident commander, posted outside, could see heavy black smoke billowing out of the back of the building. He pulled the crew outside because of heavy ice and snow on the roof and concerns about the structural integrity of the roof, which did cave in eventually. Once outside the building, firefighters used two ladder trucks to attack the fire from above.

After first arriving on the scene around 4:20 p.m. Feb. 24, most of the crews departed around 10 p.m., but two firefighters and a commander stayed until the next morning - with gusty winds and snow falling overnight - to tend to hotspots and make sure the fire didn't resurge.

The fire chief said conditions were difficult, because of the weather and the fact that other demands on the fire and ambulance service don't stop. CAFD responded to multiple ambulance calls during the Bergquist fire, plus another smaller fire at Sappi.

"It was a lot of work to keep the fire in check once the roof caved in," Buhs said.

Two firefighters sustained minor injuries "due to the icy conditions," Buhs added.

In addition to the second ladder truck from Carlton, Buhs said they called in plenty of additional help, including a fire engine from Esko and an engine crew from Grand Lake. The Air National Guard brought a trailer so firefighters could refill their breathing apparatuses onsite. St. Louis County brought a rehab trailer and snacks. The fire district also ordered about 100 hamburgers from the Cloquet McDonald's on very short notice, he said.

A Facebook post detailed the post-fire cleanup efforts, which took another eight hours. Buhs said that is typical because most modern fires - this one included - include plastics in items such as carpets and upholstery. It creates a "toxic black smoke laden with chemicals," he said.

"We have to wash every piece of equipment because we don't want our folks constantly being exposed to those carcinogens," he said.

What next?

The cause of the fire is still unknown, Buhs said. The fire district and state fire marshal are both investigating, and so is the insurance company.

"That's not unusual in a high-dollar fire like this," he said.

In February 2021, Barry and Vivian Bergquist sold their 73-year-old retail and wholesale business to Scott Camps. So while the Bergquists still own the land and buildings, Camps owns the store and the wholesale business, which imports, then sells and ships mostly Scandinavian style goods to retail businesses around the country.

Speaking from Florida, Barry Bergquist said they've seen drone photos of the whole complex.

"It looks like the first warehouse is laid flat - that's where all the merchandise was kept for shipping," he said. "Half the roof is caved in on the [Berggren Trayner] building, but everything inside is probably gone."

The longtime Cloquet businessman is optimistic insurance will cover most of their losses.

"We should be OK," he said.

They would be unlikely to rebuild "in the same footprint," he said, because the Berggren Trayner side of the business had been closed and they were just using the loading dock in that part of the complex. Berggren Trayner was a decorating company the family bought in the 1980s.

Reached by phone on Tuesday, Camps said he's still working with insurance. Although no flames reached the gift shop and it seems structurally sound, the smoke damage was significant and the products inside will likely need to be replaced.

"Unfortunately, all the inventory was in the area where the roof collapsed," Camps said.

In its Facebook post, Erbert & Gerbert's said the cleanup process started Monday there.

"We had smoke film everywhere and will need three weeks to wipe equipment and reorder all of our food along with dry goods," he wrote. "We are taking no chances with food safety."

Camps would like to get his gift shop business up and running again soon, but couldn't commit to any timeline. April will mark two years since he bought the business. It's been a learning experience.

"Overall, it's been good," he said.

Camps said he's gotten lots of support, which he really appreciates.

"When we put a notice out on social media, we got so many responses from people locally and wholesale customers who were very positive," Camps said. "They're hoping we will be back up and running soon."