By AMBER HUNT MARTIN
Detroit Free Press
Efforts to extinguish a four-alarm fire that destroyed several buildings on Detroit’s west side Sunday were slowed by low water pressure, firefighters at the scene said.
The blaze, which began about 2 p.m., was under control about four hours later, said Paul Nettles, chief of fire operations with the Detroit Fire Department.
“We’ve been able to protect homes, but we did have to evacuate some as a precaution,” Nettles said.
The blaze engulfed a white, brick warehouse -- described by neighbors as a factory-turned-junkyard -- then shot next door into a four-story plastics company, engulfing that building in less than 30 minutes.
Propane tanks inside one of the buildings exploded as firefighters worked to contain the blaze, Nettles said. “We also have some 50-gallon drums, and we don’t know what’s inside of them,” he said.
The cause of the fire wasn’t known Sunday evening.
Firefighters dragged hoses along several blocks to get water to the blaze. Nettles said firefighters opted to connect to hydrants farther away because they worried the warehouses’ walls would collapse.
With so many hoses connected to the main water line, the water pressure initially suffered, Nettles said. The city’s water department had to reroute water to increase the pressure.
The blaze was so powerful, it shot gray plumes of smoke high enough to be spotted miles away. Rick McOmber, 34, of Rochester said he saw the smoke from Hamtramck and drove to the scene with his camera to take pictures.
“I’m trying to stay out of the way to let them do their job, and stay safe at the same time,” he said Sunday.
Firefighters continually pushed the crowd farther away as the heat intensified.
Neighbors watched in disbelief.
“These buildings should’ve been condemned a long time ago,” said Starr Ennis, 48, who watched the flames with husband Tracy Ennis from their front yard immediately behind the junkyard.
“You see rats running around there at night. Lots of people go in and steal stuff,” she said.
The charred shells of cars could be seen ablaze inside the building.
The Ennises were surrounded by dozens of onlookers, many of whom said they pulled their cars over and walked to the scene after spotting the smoke and flames while they were driving. Sisters Elizabeth and Mary Distel, who live in Mexican Town, watched for more than 40 minutes as firefighters battled the spreading blaze.
As the fire hissed and popped, they admitted it was somewhat entertaining.
“It’s Sunday,” said Elizabeth Distel, 30. “What else are you going to do?”