Crews battle fires across metro Detroit on July Fourth

Sterling Heights garage with fireworks inside goes up in flames; Grand Haven man making homemade fireworks burned

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – The flames were already through the roof of a garage on Arlene Street in Sterling Heights when firefighters rolled up on the scene.

What caused the blaze is unclear but fireworks being stored inside the garage made the situation dangerous. Only quick action from firefighters averted the entire home from going up in flames.

The cause of the blaze has yet to be determined but Battalion Chief Daniel Dye told Local 4 the fireworks aren't to blame.

Fire departments across the state staff at full levels for the July Fourth holiday because inevitably there are fireworks-related problems.

A Grand Haven man burned down his home and severely injured himself after trying to make fireworks himself. He was working with black powder when it suddenly ignited.

It took hours for Grand Haven firefighters to put out the blaze and then make sure no hot spots would re-ignite.

Firefighters told Local 4 most often the fireworks ignite either brush or hit the side of homes. They may be legal but people aren't following protocol in how to use them safely and it's virtually impossible for police to patrol everything.

"We get a lot of calls. Generally most of the fires we get they are fireworks-related. We get called right away and it's to the outside of a building or it's brush, shrubs, things like that. We put them out real quick and we don't end up with a whole lot of damage," Dye said.


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