Firefighter injured in Dutch house and garage fire caused by fireworks

HOLLAND, Mich. — A firefighter was injured battling a garage fire that spread to a duplex Saturday evening.

At 10:56 p.m. Saturday, the Holland Department of Public Safety responded to a report of a fire at a residence located at 321 E. 20th St. Upon arriving on scene, firefighters discovered a fire in the garage of a two-family residence that extended into the attic of the home.

Firefighters confirmed that the residents were safely out of the home and garage and extinguished the flames approximately 20 minutes after their arrival. They remained on scene until 1:40 a.m. Sunday to put out hot spots.

One occupant suffered a medical issue related to the fire. This person was assessed and treated on scene.

A firefighter was injured when part of the ceiling collapsed on him and two others inside the home. The firefighter was taken to a local emergency room and treated before being released from the hospital.

The fire marshal's investigation determined that the fire was accidental and most likely caused by smoldering fireworks that were located near the exterior of the garage. The constant wind contributed to the ignition of the flames.

Damage estimates are not available, but fire officials said one unit of the duplex was a total loss while the other suffered smoke and water damage. A fire wall separating the units and quick actions by the department to extinguish the fire prevented the structure from being a total loss.

Six people were displaced from their homes by the fire.