A devastating structure fire north of Bemidji claimed one life and reduced a home to total loss Monday night around 8:47 p.m. The Bemidji Fire Department responded to the blaze in the 12000 block of Peterson Lake Road NE in Port Hope Township, approximately 15 miles north of Bemidji. Upon arrival, firefighters found the residence completely engulfed in flames, with the structure already collapsing into the basement. Twenty-eight firefighters worked for roughly six hours to extinguish the fire and contain the damage. Once crews brought the fire under control, they discovered one deceased person inside the home. The victim remains unidentified at this time, according to the press release from Bemidji Fire Department. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Authorities have not yet released information about what sparked the fire.