GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A smoky parking lot fire damaged five semitrucks at a downtown business Sunday morning.
Shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday the Grand Rapids Fire Department responded to a report of semis on fire at Van Eerden Foodservice, located at 650 Ionia Ave. SW. Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters limited the damage to five trucks and prevented damage to about 25 other semis parked nearby.
Ionia Avenue was closed to traffic between Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Buckley Street while firefighters fought the blaze, due to burning toxins from the trucks' oil and fuel, according to the GR Fire Department.
The business's owner, Chad Van Eerden, issued the following statement to FOX 17:
"Early this morning, a fire occurred in our parking lot at 650 Ionia. No employees were present at the time, and there were no injuries. We are grateful for the swift response of the Grand Rapids Fire Department. Their team contained the fire within minutes and limited damage to a few tractors. Customary cleanup efforts are in progress this morning, and we anticipate no disruptions to our operations."
The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental, stemming from inside one of the tractors. The Grand Rapids Fire Department remained at the scene for several hours battling hotspots.
