BRONSON, MI (WTVB) – Fire departments across the Branch County area were put to the test over the Easter weekend with a handful of grass and field fires along with several structure blazes. Thankfully, no injuries were reported as the mostly dry and breezy conditions set the stage for the breakout of fires which authorities had warned could happen if adequate precautions weren’t taken by property owners.
Sunday afternoon around 2:15 p.m., Bronson firefighters were called to 358 Matteson Lake Road where embers from a leaf pile that had been burned earlier in the morning spread to a 20 foot by 30 foot barn and nearby property where 6 vehicles caught on fire. They were able to stop the flames before they spread to the retail building for the used car dealership. The estimated damage loss for the cars was $6,000 while the structure and content loss was placed at $3,000. The Sherwood Fire Department assisted with a tanker truck.
Earlier Sunday around 11 a.m., the Lakeland Fire Department responded to a grass fire on Dust Bowl Road, and Bronson firemen assisted in containing that blaze. Then around 6:45 p.m. last night, a grass fire was reported at 654 River Road and it kept the Coldwater Fire Department busy for over an hour.
The Sherwood Township fire department was sent to a storage shed fire on Mendon Road near Oliverda Road around 8:15 p.m. State Police were called to assist when there was a report that the property owner was agitated over the response from the fire department.
A possible electric short was cited as the cause of an early morning barn fire Saturday in Bethel Township. Bronson firefighters were called to the scene around 3:30 a.m. at 536 Wildlife Road. An accompanying grass fire was extinguished shortly before 4, while the main structure fire was brought under control about ten minutes later. The barn, owned by Greg Schroeder and its contents were declared a total loss. The property damage was estimated at $50,000 with thousands of dollars loss for the two tractors, many tools, a boat trailer, and a Ski-Doo. Mutual Aid was provided by the Lakeland and Burr Oak Fire Departments.
