According to local fire officials, a vacant house in Kalamazoo Township caught fire on Sunday night. The blaze, which occurred on Shakespeare Avenue south of Lake Street, was reported at 10:10 p.m., and firefighters from Kalamazoo Township, Comstock Township, and the city of Kalamazoo responded to the scene, WOODTV reported. Fire Marshal Todd Kowalski of Kalamazoo Township Fire Department told News 8 that the structure was fully engulfed when crews arrived, with flames shooting from all the windows. The fire was extinguished in about 40 minutes but is currently being investigated as suspicious.
Per a statement from WWMT, the fire was under control within 20 minutes of firefighters' arrival, thanks to the use of two handlines and a deck gun. This efficient response prevented the fire from spreading further, although details about the cause or potential injuries have not been disclosed at this time. The damage to the two-story residential building was reportedly contained, indicating a swift and effective effort from the responding fire crews.
Additional information from the scene was shared by Comstock Fire & Rescue on social media via their official Facebook page. "Station 9-1, Engine 921, assisted Kalamazoo Twp FD on a residential structure fire on Shakespeare Ave near E. Stockbridge Ave. 921 arrived to find heavy fire involvement on a 2 story dwelling. 2 handlines were used along with a deck gun to extinguish the fire," the post read.
Authorities are now seeking the public's assistance in investigating the cause of the fire. Fire Marshal Kowalski has urged anyone with information on the incident to contact his office at 269.888.2171 or Silent Observer at 269.343.2100.
