News

Actions

Pitsch Company fire damage estimated at $1 million

Posted at 11:24 AM, Jul 02, 2015
and last updated 2015-07-02 11:24:18-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Fire investigators and company employees and owners are getting their first look at a Grand Rapids company damaged overnight. The damage from the fire is estimated at about $1 million.

Adam Dabaja of Soapbox Pictures shot this video from a drone Thursday morning.

The fire started at about 9:00 p.m. Wednesday night at Pitsch Companies on Richmond Street NW.  Nearby residents were evacuated for a short time as crews put out the fire.  No one was injured.

The building at the site that was destroyed was the company repair shop where mechanics fix company equipment.  During the fire, small propane and fuel tanks in the building exploded.  Nearby vehicles and buildings did suffer some minor damage from the heat from the fire.

The Grand Rapids Fire Inspector Kevin Robinson says that the fire started at the south end of the building and swept through to the north.  A cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

"There is a lot of destruction from the fire," said Robinson at a press conference. Much of what was in the building was heavy equipment, and the roof collapsed adding to the destruction and debris.