MI Crews Tackle Tricky Gun Shop Blaze
By John Tunison
Source The Grand Rapids Press, Mich.
July 26 -- MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI -- Fire gutted a Twin Lake area gun shop as firefighters battled heavy flames and ammunition discharging.
The fire at Grasmeyer Bros. gun shop, 4786 Holton Road, was reported about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, and firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the gunsmithing area of the business.
Dalton Township Fire Chief Alan Styles said the business already had closed for the day and firefighters forced their way into the shop.
He said firefighters were "met by heavy fire and obviously ammunition that was still live and discharging."
Crews were forced to leave the building and fight the fire from the outside.
Styles said crews from 12 different fire departments responded to the scene. Firefighters attempted to stop the fire from spreading beyond the gunsmithing area, but strong winds allowed flames to get into the attic area and "run the building."
The area is not served by hydrants, so water was trucked to the scene.
Styles said firefighters were at the shop earlier in the afternoon for a "flash fire" that was quickly extinguished.
He said it's not clear if the earlier fire had any connection with the later blaze. At the earlier fire, crews thoroughly checked for any pockets of fire or ember.
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