Fire heavily damages Duluth Christian radio station

A Duluth Christian radio station is off the air after a weekend fire destroyed its three transmitters and heavily damaged its main building.

A passerby spotted flames coming from WQRM-AM's main building about 3 a.m. Sunday and called the Duluth Fire Department. Crews arrived at the station at 1120 E. McCuen St. and put out the blaze within 10 minutes, but they stayed on the scene for about three hours to douse hot spots, Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Edwards said in a statement.

Damage was estimated at more than $500,000, Edwards said.

"While this is a troubling event, we rejoice that God works all things together for good," said Jim Schneider, executive director for VCY America, which operates the station formerly known as WWJC-AM. "While our AM signal will take a while to rebuild, we know the many listeners who have contacted us over the years to share how much they appreciate the biblical teaching and sacred music will be looking forward to hearing WQRM return to the air."

The station, dating to 1963, was the first Christian radio station in the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior, Wis. The 50,000-watt station was the most powerful in the Twin Ports, reaching listeners as far as 100 miles away, its website said.

The station joined the VCY America network in 2014 and changed its call letters to WQRM. Programming can be heard in Duluth on 97.7 FM and in Washburn, Wis., on 105.9 FM.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Tim Harlow