VBT house fire damages four other homes in Homestead subdivision

On Monday, April 1, Van Buren Township Fire Fighters were dispatched at 10:03 p.m. to battle a possible house fire in the 6400 block of Florence Lane in Homestead Subdivision, north of Ecorse Road.
The VBT Public Safety Communications Center began to receive multiple calls reporting flames visible on the second floor.
At 10:05 p.m. the South Duty responded in Engine 1 and Chief Dan Besson responded from his home in Belleville. Two other fire fighters came from their nearby homes.
The North Duty Crew, assigned to fire headquarters, was on a medical emergency involving a patient suffering from a serious ailment.
While responding, crews were advised that Van Buren Police Officers were on the scene and confirmed a working structure fire and the occupants could not be accounted for.
Chief Besson requested mutual aid from the Romulus Fire Department to send a Rapid Intervention Team – a crew set up to specifically rescue firefighters if they become lost or trapped during rescue operations.
Upon arrival at 10:14 p.m., Chief Besson said he found a two-story home was well-involved in fire and neighbors said the family was not home.
Engine 4 and Engine 1 arrived and began to set up operations to protect the surrounding homes, four of which were already damaged by the intense heat and wind conditions. Water was supplied to the fire engines at a hydrant opened and prepared by the first-arriving VBT police officers.
No injuries were reported and the loss is estimated at $300,000. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Public Safety Chaplains were contacted to help set the family up with temporary housing and other needs.
1-800-Board-up, a private contractor, was requested to help secure the portions of the home damaged by the fire and also provide the family some assistance.
In addition to the Romulus Fire Department, the City of Belleville and Canton Township Fire Departments provided additional equipment and manpower.
“We are grateful for our neighbors’ helping hands,” Chief Besson said.
Fire fighters remained on the scene to make sure any smoldering fires had been extinguished. The last fire unit cleared at 3:05 a.m.
The VBT Fire Department has 22 fire fighters on the scene and nine other fire fighters who responded from the neighboring departments.
Rumors circulating on Facebook reported it took the VBT Fire Department 35 minutes to arrive on the scene and an email sent out to the Homestead Homeowners Association by one of their board members reported that VBT was fighting a fire in Sumpter Township and so didn’t have anyone available to send. Both statements are false, Chief Besson said.
The North Duty Crew was on another call in VBT and couldn’t respond immediately, Chief Besson said.