KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety responded to eight separate fires across the city during a busy 12-hour stretch over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
According to KDPS, crews handled the fires between the evening of July 4 and the morning of July 5.
Investigators are still working to determine exact causes, but preliminary findings indicate fireworks may have contributed to at least three of the incidents.
The first major call came around 10 p.m. Saturday, when firefighters responded to a detached garage fire in the 900 block of Sheridan Drive. Just 15 minutes later, crews were dispatched to a residential structure fire with flames showing in the 1000 block of James Street. At approximately 11 p.m., firefighters responded to an exterior porch fire in the 700 block of North Park Street.
Overnight incidents continued after midnight, including a dumpster fire in the 1300 block of Foxridge Drive around 12:15 a.m. KDPS says crews were then called to a home in the 500 block of Vernon Avenue at 12:30 a.m. after fireworks were reportedly discharged inside the residence. Another dumpster fire was reported around 1 a.m. in the 2800 block of Heatherdowns Lane. About 30 minutes later, officers responded to the 1300 block of Jefferson Avenue for a trash can fire that spread to the roof of a home and eventually into the attic.
The final significant incident happened around 7:15 Sunday morning when crews responded to a water flow alarm at a business in the 3400 block of Covington Road and discovered an active fire inside the building.
KDPS says all fires were brought under control and no civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.
The department also thanked several mutual aid agencies for assisting throughout the overnight hours, including the Portage Department of Public Safety, Oshtemo Fire Department, Comstock Fire Department, Kalamazoo Township Fire Department and Life EMS Ambulance.
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