BRONSON, MI (WTVB) – The Bronson Fire Department had a very busy weekend which included four fire calls on Saturday.
The first fire call took place Saturday afternoon just before 1:30 p.m. when a grass fire was reported near Wheeler Road and U.S. 12. The fire was less than 50 yards from a barn full of equipment when fire crews arrived. The Coldwater Fire Department responded to the scene as well with a grass truck. About five acres burned along the railroad tracks. Bronson Fire Chief Scott Wilber says arson caused the fire as someone started it at the railroad tracks on Wheeler Road. If anyone has information regarding the fire, call Wilber at (517) 369-6475 or Branch County Sherrif’s Deputy Roy Shutts at (517) 278-2325. Crews were on scene for over an hour.
The second call came in three minutes later which split Bronson Fire crews. They got a report that a grass fire that started from a spark in a burn barrel was approaching a structure at 1114 Sielkens Road. Crews arrived to find flames within five feet of a garage. Crews were on scene for just under an hour.
Then at 3:39 p.m., Bronson firefighters were dispatched to a barn fire at 1082 Sielkins Road that started from a nearby brush fire. Despite being just down the road from the grass fire earlier in the day, Wilber says the two fires were unrelated. Burr Oak provided a tanker and a grass rig through mutual aid, and Tri-Township Fire provided manpower. A dilapidated hip roof barn full of hay was enveloped in flames when firefighters arrived. The siding on the house, which was 40 yards away, was melting. Crews were on scene for three and a half hours.
A fourth fire was reported at 3:47 p.m. which forced Bronson fire crews to split a second time. A brush hog which hit a rock sparked a 10-acre grass fire near Arbogast Road. Crews were on scene for an hour. Union City provided a tanker and grass truck.
More work for Bronson firefighters took place on Sunday as they had to battle a 60-acre corn stubble fire on Adams Road. The Lakeland Fire Department provided a grass truck. Crews were on scene for an hour and 15 minutes.
While returning from Adams Road, Lakeland Fire requested mutual aid from Bronson for a grass truck and manpower at 1437 Southern Road. The Fremont Fire Department also provided a UTV and manpower.
Finally, Bronson firefighters responded to a carbon monoxide alarm at Gilead Lake shortly after 9:30 p.m. Sunday evening.
There were no injuries at any of the fire calls over the weekend.
Big thanks to our local Fire Fighters who spent much of their weekends fighting fires. People need to be careful with burning anything. We have had a very dry winter compared to normal years.