HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — City of Holland firefighters were called to the 200 block of East 13th Street on the report of a house fire on Sunday, July 28, 2019. With 20 minutes, it was under control, and there were no injuries, according to Holland Fire Lt. Andy Stokes.
The fire, he said, started when a maple tree collapsed onto the power line leading to the house. Sparks started a fire in a trash can.
Once the BPW was able to cut power to the home, firefighters made sure the fire, which has burned some of the siding, hadn’t gotten into the walls of the home.
Stoke said trees that are diseased or dead can fall without warning. Maple trees have been especially distressed by this year’s weather extremes.
Coby Curtiss, Lucas Barry, both 20, live in the house, at 265 E 13th. St., while attending Hope College classes, but they happened to each be staying at their respective parents’ homes for the summer.
Neighbors who were in their backyard playing basketball saw the tree fall and the fire start; they called 911 and Barry.
“We had a bunch of calls,” Curtiss said. He and another friend own the home. Curtiss and Barry expressed relief that the fire wasn’t worse.
“Have your fire alarms in there,” Barry said, explaining those in his home were unplugged, with no batteries.
“We noticed the smoke detectors were not operational in the home,” Stokes said. “I can’t stress that enough, especially if you’re at home and sleeping, if something like that happened.
Stokes said any Holland resident without smoke alarms in their home should contact the Kollen Park fire station, by phone, 616) 355-1020, or email firedept@cityofholland.com, and ask for Fire Marshal Bret Groendyke, who can help get smoke detectors for people in need.
