A fierce blaze engulfed the front of a two-story apartment home on Grand Rapids' west side, but firefighters quickly jumped into action to prevent any casualties. The Grand Rapids Fire Department responded to a distressing call on Sunday evening as flames consumed the front porch and rapidly spread throughout the residence on Pettibone Avenue NW, near the intersection of Bridge Street. As reported by WZZM13, a family member arriving home discovered the fire and swiftly alerted an adult and child who were inside, allowing them to evacuate safely.
High winds threatened to quickly exacerbate the conflagration, but GRFD crews worked judiciously to keep the fire from engulfing the entirety of the house. "Our crews said the whole front porch area, they couldn’t see that front, first floor part of the house because of the flames," GRFD battalion chief Capt. David Noorman said, per WOODTV. "It was starting to wrap around the sides of the house." Thanks to their unwavering efforts, the flames were halted from spreading to the back of the structure.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, and firefighters managed to rescue a dog from a ladder leading to the second floor. However, the whereabouts of two cats believed to be hiding in the back of the house remained uncertain. The downstairs occupants have found refuge with family, while authorities were trying to reach the upstairs tenant, who wasn't home at the time. The incident's cause remains under investigation, which also confirmed that firefighters successfully brought the towering inferno under control.
Representatives from Grand Rapids Firefighters Local 366 reported on Facebook that the fire was indeed aggressive, but declared that it had been successfully contained before causing more extensive damage. "It was a wind-blown fire. I heard gusts up to 16 miles an hour. And that’s what drives it into that house," Capt. Noorman explained, as per WOODTV. The GRFD's presence on the scene persisted until well into the evening to ensure the fire was completely subdued, signaling a prompt response to potential peril that underscored a community's resilience against abrupt disaster.
