MI Firefighter Burned Battling Large Commercial Blaze

JACKSON, MI—A Jackson firefighter was injured while responding to a large fire at a commercial building in Jackson Wednesday afternoon.

Firefighters were called to the building at 314 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, just north of downtown Jackson, at about 4:20 p.m. on Sept. 9.

A Jackson Fire Department firefighter was burned beneath his protective equipment, Jackson Deputy Director of Fire Services David Wooden said. The young firefighter has first- and second-degree burns on his upper arms, Wooden said.

The firefighter was sweating underneath his protective gear when the fire flared, which turned the sweat into steam, burning him, Wooden said. He was treated and released at Henry Ford Allegiance Health and is expected to be back to work in a couple of weeks, Wooden said.

Most of the commercial building was destroyed during the fire. The building recently changed owners and was vacant at the time of the blaze, Wooden said.

The fire is in the top 10 worst of Wooden’s 44-year career, he said. Crews were on scene for the three-alarm fire for more than three hours, he said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and the fire department is working with the Jackson Police Department in the investigation, Wooden said.

Fire departments from Henrietta, Grass Lake, Summit, Spring Arbor and Napoleon townships, along with the Blackman-Leoni Department of Public Safety, responded to the scene.

Jackson Community Ambulance, the Jackson Police Department and the Jackson County Disaster Assistance Response Team also assisted.

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