VBT Fire Department burns down house in training session

On a very windy morning last Saturday, Oct. 20, the Van Buren Township Fire Department held a live training burn at 10850 Beck Road, with some of the new VBT fire fighters experiencing a house fire for the first time. Battalion Chief Ron Folks, the training officer, was in charge of the burn, which included four initial internal burns and finally the fiery climax. A new Ypsilanti City fire fighter was also a part of the training. US Ecology, which owns the property, has a contract for a firm to knock down the remaining chimney and clean up the property, said Fire Marshall David McInally.