Joel Forrest had never anticipated receiving this call.
Forrest revealed that “someone called to say, Hey, your store is on fire.”
Forrest runs a leatherwork shop and repairs on Airline Road, near E Mount Garfield Road. His two dogs were still in the shop when he got the call. He’d just left it moments earlier.
It turned out that the caller had a mistaken impression. It turned out that the fire on Sunday afternoon was not at Forrest’s place of business but his neighbor’s Fruitport Auto Sales and Storage.
Forrest stated, “It can happen anywhere.” It’s just as bad when it happens right next door.
Three dozen storage units are located in the building. Forrest used to use one of these units for storing his customer’s items as he repaired them. These included boat pads, saddles and his son’s tractor toy.
Forrest stated, “I had chairs from a client that were around 100 years old.” They were brought in for reupholstering. “They’re not replacementable.”
He continued, “Now all I have is ashes.” It was a family treasure. The worst thing is something that has been made over 100 years ago and probably holds some sentimental value to someone. “There is no way to get them back.”
Fruitport Fire Department is directly across the street from the storage facility. The crews were on the scene within minutes when they saw smoke coming out of the roof. The fire was put out more slowly because the crews had to tackle one unit at once.
Fruitport Fire Chief Brian Michelli said to News 8 on Sunday night that “this one is all wood construction inside.” It burns quickly, so go from one unit to another, and pick the spot you feel you can get ahead.
The majority of the fire was put out by firefighters. On Sunday night, firefighters were unable to reach certain areas, and so planned to use an excavator in order to remove some of the personal items from the apartments.
Michelli stated that the entire roof of the building is damaged. EMS treated a person who had minor burns. Michelli stated that the person who was injured chose to get care for themselves.
Michelli said that the 12 middle storage units had been “severely” damaged. The items from outside units may still be salvageable, but the firefighters continue to inspect. He said that the roof is affected by fire damage.
Airline Road was closed for several hours by police. Firefighters had a difficult time fighting the fire because of its location.
Michelli stated that the biggest problem they faced today was the lack of water. The hydrant is on the opposite side of Airline Road. It’s a big challenge to shut down such a large road without causing any injuries or having your hose run over.
Michelli stated that while the cause of the fire is still under investigation, it appears someone was present in one or more storage units during the incident.
According to Muskegon County dispatch, several fire departments including Fruitport and Norton Shores as well as Ferrysburg, Muskegon Township, also responded.
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