Pallets N More destroyed in historic blaze

One of the largest fires ever in Goodland Twp.

 

 

GOODLAND TWP. — A major structure fire erupted late Thursday afternoon, bringing a massive response of 27 fire departments to the 7400 block of Shaw Rd. in Goodland Twp., just north of Imlay City.

Within minutes of the call, fire officials reported several buildings at the wood pallet business known as Pallets N More, were fully engulfed in flames. Heavy thick smoke could be seen for miles, in multiple counties as far away as the Flint area, metro Detroit and in the Upper Thumb.

Following the major blaze, perhaps the largest fire Goodland Twp. has ever experienced, Fire Chief Brian Kinzer thanked everyone for their support during a tragic time.

Following is a press release, “At 16:50 Lapeer Central Dispatch received a call from Pallets N More in Goodland Township saying that they had a fire in one of the buildings. Everyone was able to vacate the premises.

Goodland Township and Imlay City Fire Departments were dispatched for the structure fire. Within one minute, Goodland Twp. Fire Chief Brian Kinzer arrived on scene. At that time, one of the several buildings on the four-acre property was fully involved.

A request for Brown City (Sanilac County), Arcadia Twp., and North Branch Fire Departments was made. Soon afterward a request for the Southeastern Lapeer County Manpower Strike Force was made—Lapeer City, Elba Twp., Hadley Twp., Metamora Twp. Fire Departments.

A request for out-of-county tankers (tenders) was also made. The following fire departments responded: Huron County: Harbor Beach, Sigel Twp., Bad Axe, Port Austin and Windsor Twp.; Sanilac County: Croswell, Delaware Twp., Minden City, Marlette, Moore Twp., Speaker Twp., Elk Twp. and Applegate; St. Clair County: Berlin Twp. and Mussey Twp. Lapeer County: Deerfield Twp., Almont Twp. and Dryden Twp. for additional manpower later in the event.

A total of 27 fire departments responded along with multiple Lapeer County EMS units, Michigan State Police, Parsch Oil & Propane, and DTE.

The four-acre site had several buildings, machinery, semi-trailers, and thousands of wooden pallets.

With the tremendous fuel load (wood), initial firefighting tactics were a challenge due to extreme heat. The entire site was fully engulfed in fire within 15 minutes of the initial call.

There is no estimate of the loss at this posting and there were no injuries during the entire event.

All units cleared the scene at 0300 the following day.” Chief Brian Kinzer, Goodland Township Fire Department.

In a social media message to those expressing their condolences and support due to the fire at their business, the owners of Pallets N More wrote: “We want to express our deepest gratitude to the firefighters, EMS personnel, and police officers who responded to the fire.

In the extreme heat and dangerous conditions, they worked tirelessly and courageously, and we are forever grateful for their efforts. We also want to thank everyone who has reached out, offered support, and kept our family in their prayers.

The love, kindness, and encouragement we have received over the last day have meant more to us than words can express.

Above all, we thank God for the alarm that alerted us and ultimately saved our lives. While we lost everything in the fire, material things can be replaced.

Sadly, one of our beloved cats did not make it out. We are also still hoping to find our black and white cat, Stormi. If anyone in the area sees her, please let us know.

This loss is heartbreaking, and the road ahead will not be easy. But we have our lives, we have each other, and we have an incredible community standing beside us.

Though everything was reduced to ashes, we will rebuild one day at a time. Our faith remains strong, and we trust that God will carry us through this season. Thank you all for your prayers, support, and love.”

In a prepared statement, Township Supervisor Michael Eckardt shared thanks on behalf of the township board, saying “We at Goodland Township are proud of Fire Chief Brian Kinzer and his entire crew. Their tireless efforts this past week, as well as throughout the year, demonstrate their commitment not only to protecting our township but also to assisting neighboring communities whenever needed.

They consistently go above and beyond the call of duty to help keep us safe, and their dedication is deeply appreciated.

We are also grateful to the many fire departments and townships that assisted in responding to the recent major pallet company fire, as well as to those who provide mutual aid whenever additional help is needed.

On behalf of the residents of Goodland Township and the Township Board, we extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to everyone involved.

Thank you for your service and commitment to our community. Mike Eckardt Supervisor, Goodland Township.”

Firefighters returned to the scene over the weekend, dousing hot spots reported by passerbys.