GRAND RAPIDS, Mich- Firefighters were dispatched to a house fire Sunday afternoon.
The fire was reported shortly before 5 p.m. at Logan SE and Henry. No injuries were reported. According to Battalion Chief Bruce Veldenkamp, one man was inside at the time and wasn't even aware there was a fire until his neighbor alerted him when crews arrived.
Officials told FOX 17 multiple crews were on scene so firefighters could be relieved for breaks during the hot temperatures. According to FOX 17 Chief Meteorologist Kevin Craig, temperatures in the area were 91 degrees at the time of the fire.
“We try to give them a 15-minute break and kind of look at how they’re doing and we take some vitals and make sure they’re good to go and then send them back in,” Veldenkamp says.
An immediate cause of the fire wasn't known, but officials say there were no injuries reported.
Though the heat doesn't make fires more likely, according to Veldenkamp, it does make fighting them more strenuous.
“We just try and make sure the guys stay hydrated," Veldenkamp says. "We tell them not to do quite as much strenuous workout and training when it’s super hot like it was the last couple days so when we do get to a fire like this, they’re not already drained, that we can count on them.”
The fire was under control in about an hour and a half.
