Huge industrial fire in Michigan causes hundreds of explosions and sends debris flying

Hundreds of explosions sparked by an industrial building fire rocked a Detroit suburb Monday night, sending debris and canisters flying into the air, prompting police to implore residents to stay indoors.
The fire broke out around 8:40 p.m. at a facility at 19100 15 Mile Road belonging to Select Distributors, a company that reportedly houses nitrous oxide tanks as well as novelty items and general merchandise, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Video from news helicopters showed a huge area of bright orange fire with bursts of flame inside the fire that looked like explosions.
WXYZ reports that there were hundreds of small explosions inside the building as canisters exploded and were thrown from the building. One of those canisters went through the windshield of a fire truck and hit a firefighter.
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Firefighters battle an industrial fire in the Detroit suburb of Clinton Township on Monday night, March 4, 2024. (WXYZ via AP)
A bystander suffered injuries associated with the incident and was transported to a local hospital, according to the Clinton Township Police Department via Facebook.
Both the Clinton Township Police Department and the Clinton Township Fire Department requested assistance from local police and fire agencies, in addition to requesting assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, citing the fact that the company is known to store combustible materials. .
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Police said when first responders arrived at the scene, they witnessed explosive materials flying in all directions from the building, with some landing about a mile away. They then established a security perimeter and proceeded to evacuate residents and businesses in the area.

A large fire at an industrial building in Michigan caused hundreds of explosions and sent debris into the air for about a mile, raising concerns about air quality. (WJBK)
“We cannot emphasize enough the danger that is happening right now,” a police post said. “Please, please, stay inside and out of the surrounding area.”
“They understand that there were some type of CO2 or propane explosions occurring at the facility and, again, it was just continuous explosions in addition to the fire,” Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel told WDIV-TV on Monday. the night.
After 11:00 p.m., he told the media outlet that the fire had been contained.
“Their concern right now is: Obviously they’re controlling the fire, but now, what’s happening with the air quality?” Hackel said. “We have a HAZMAT unit that is trying to test the air quality, so we can get more updates.”

The fire broke out around 8:40 p.m. at a facility at 19100 15 Mile Road belonging to Select Distributors, a company that reportedly houses nitrous oxide tanks as well as novelty items and general merchandise. (WJBK)
He said preliminary results of air quality tests determined there was smoke, but nothing dangerous. The tests were carried out mainly west of Groesbeck, as the wind was pushing the smoke to the west and semi-north, he said.
One resident, Joleen Vultaggio, said she heard the explosions eight miles away at her home in Sterling Heights.
“It just scared me because it wasn’t like a boom, it was continuous and very intense,” he said, according to The Associated Press.

Police said when first responders arrived at the scene, they witnessed explosive materials flying in all directions from the building with some landing about a mile away. (WJBK)
Crews remained on scene into the early hours of Tuesday morning, clearing debris from the road and parking lots in the area.
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It is unclear what caused the initial fire.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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