Lapeer fire crews battle pair of commercial building blazes

LAPEER — The Attica Township Fire Department was among several responding to two commercial building fires on Sunday. 

According to Lapeer fire officials, two commercial buildings were damaged in separate fires reported just minutes apart. Lapeer Fire and Rescue and Elba Township Fire Department responded just after midnight to the 300 block of North Jefferson Street for a reported structure fire, according to Lapeer Fire and Rescue personnel. 

First arriving fire crews found an active fire on the exterior of a commercial building with flames quickly spreading inside the dwelling. Lapeer Fire then requested a second alarm from Central Dispatch, bringing additional personnel and apparatus to the scene. 

Firefighters battled the blaze from both inside and outside the building, bringing the fire under control in less than two hours. Firefighters remained on scene for about three hours dousing hot spots and performing overhaul procedures to extinguish any small fires.

A short time later, a second structure fire was reported to Central Dispatch, this one in the 900 block of Nepessing Street. 

While Lapeer and Elba remained on scene of the first fire, multiple mutual aid crews who originally were responding to the first call were diverted to the second call and able to extinguish the flames in a short amount of time.

According to fire officials, the Jefferson Street building sustained heavy fire damage while the West Nepessing Street business sustained minor damage. Fire officials say no injuries were reported.

City of Lapeer Fire and Rescue was assisted by the Elba Township, Attica Township, Metamora Township, Deerfield Township and Davison-Richfield fire departments, along with the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Department, Lapeer County EMS and the City of Lapeer Police Department.

Both fires remain under investigation by Lapeer Fire & Rescue and the Lapeer Police Department.