Clinton Township, Michigan – Authorities are currently investigating a devastating fire and series of explosions that occurred in a suburban Detroit building, which was heavily stocked with vaping industry supplies. The incident resulted in the tragic death of one individual, as gas canisters were propelled up to 2 miles away. Residents are being urged to exercise caution and avoid handling any debris from the site as potential hazards still exist.
The investigation into the cause of the fire, which took place on Monday night, is scheduled to kick off next week as officials work on clearing the building of fallen steel beams using heavy machinery. The presence of these impediments has hindered progress in determining the root cause of the destructive blaze.
According to Clinton Township Fire Chief Tim Duncan, the debris within the building is still smoldering, but fire officials are hopeful that weekend rain showers will help extinguish the remaining flames. The removal of the steel beams is expected to commence once the site is deemed safe for thorough investigation.
The intense fire required more than 2 million gallons of water to contain since Monday, with fire crews working tirelessly at the scene. Tragically, a 19-year-old individual lost his life as a result of being struck by a flying gas canister that traveled a quarter of a mile away from the building during the chaos.
The ruined building was identified as the location of a vaping industry distributor called Goo, where over 100,000 vape pens were housed. The recent arrival of a shipment of butane canisters, of which more than half remained on-site during the fire, has raised concerns about the safety protocols at the establishment.
Authorities have revealed that Goo had secured an occupancy permit in September 2022 for the building primarily designated as a retail space for vape products. However, the company’s request to use the facility for warehousing and distribution was denied by local zoning regulations, limiting their operations to retail sales only.
Moving forward, a team of fire investigators comprising members from various agencies, including the Michigan State Police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, will collaborate on uncovering the cause of the incident. The community has been strongly advised against collecting any hazardous debris from the site for safety reasons.