HOLLAND, Mich. — A firefighter was injured when putting out a garage fire started by a smoldering firework in Holland on Saturday, according to the Holland Department of Public Safety.
Around 10:55 p.m. fire crews were sent to 321 E. 200th Street for a residence fire.
When they arrived, crews said there was a fire in the garage area of a two-family residence and took measures to get all occupants out.
The fire extended into the attic portion of the residence and was knocked down in about 20 minutes. Fire crews remained until about 1:40 a.m. to put out any hot spots.
During the initial moments of the incident, an occupant sustained a medical situation related to the fire and was assessed and treated on scene, HDPS said.
A firefighter was also injured when a section of the ceiling collapsed on them and two other firefighters working inside the structure. The firefighter was evaluated and treated at a local emergency department and later released.
The department's fire marshal said based on their investigation the fire was accidental. The investigation shows it was most likely due to smoldering fireworks being next to the outside of the structure.
HDPS said the steady wind was a factor in the starting of the fire as well as its extension into the garage, attic and roof.
The department said one unit of the duplex is deemed to be a total loss, while the other sustained smoke and water damage.
Six people have been displaced from their homes as a result of the fire and have received some initial help from the HDPS Victims Services Unit.
HDPS said as the Fourth of July approaches, the fire serves as a reminder to safely dispose of fireworks and other pyrotechnic materials.
The department said they should be placed in a metal container or bucket of water, set away from structures and cooled before disposal.
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