clinton township, michigan – A fire reignited Wednesday morning at a Macomb County store that caught fire Monday, causing repeated explosions that destroyed the building and killed a bystander.
More flames were seen rising from the rubble early Wednesday morning, March 6, at Goo & Select Distributors in Clinton Township, where a major fire broke out earlier this week. On Wednesday morning, the new blaze was not enough to cause panic, but it did create an additional hurdle for investigators who needed to access the scene and determine the cause of the fire.
The first major fire on Monday resulted in the continuous explosion of storage containers containing flammable gases, creating a debris field extending at least 800 meters in all directions, officials reported. The explosion sent entire containers, shrapnel and other debris flying from the building, including construction materials such as glass and products sold by the company, such as knives.
On Monday night, a 19-year-old bystander was fatally injured when he was struck in the head by a flying object. A firefighter also sustained minor injuries.
These explosions initially prevented first responders, including firefighters, from accessing the building. Officials said the crew members were told to keep their distance due to dangerous conditions.
The fire was extinguished by Tuesday morning, but the pile of rubble was still too hot for investigators to enter. Several lingering explosions were reported early Tuesday morning, and workers were seen walking through the site later in the day.
Federal, state, county and local leaders are expected to launch an investigation Wednesday. However, around 7:30 a.m., fires rekindled in several places in the rubble and began to spread. Crews were expected to extinguish the flames as they returned, but it was unclear whether the reignition would delay the investigation.
You can see the flames reignited in the video report above.
So far, authorities have said they believe the fire started before Monday's explosion. Their prevailing theory is that the fire somehow started, heating containers of butane, nitrous oxide, and lighter fluid, causing an explosion as the fire burned.
No arrests have been made in connection with this incident, but multiple people, including the manager, are being questioned. The business, which includes a smoking storefront and its storage space, is accused of improperly storing flammable gas in its back room. Officials said business owners were not allowed to store such materials and were only allowed to operate retail spaces.
Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon said people will be held accountable.
—> Details: Are you storing gas illegally? Officials condemn fire-induced explosion at Macomb County business
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