Fire crews work to contain the Wednesday morning fire at Thayer Marine in Jackson.
Thayer Marine was destroyed by a fast-moving fire Wednesday morning. The blaze sent heavy smoke into the air and shut down part of US-127.
Units from Summit Township Fire Department were dispatched around 8:30 a.m. for a structure fire. Upon arrival it was upgraded to a 4th alarm structure fire for additional manpower and water supply. The fire is still under investigation. Summit FireHawk1 (drone) assisted in the investigation and finding hotspots. The Michigan State Police will handle the investigation.
STFD was assisted by Jackson City Fire, Blackman, Liberty Fire, Napoleon Fire and Police department, Columbia Fire, Spring Arbor Fire, Grass Lake Fire, Hanover Fire, JDART, JCA, Summit DPW and Jackson County Sheriff.
“We showed up and there was fire coming from the eaves of the structure, and the fire conditions, and the cause of that fire are under investigation,” Captain Todd Moore of the Summit Township Fire Department told a WILX reporter.
“Initially, it was difficult to establish a water supply due to the lack of manpower at the time, but once the water supply was established, we were able to elevate our tower units and put water on the fire as quickly as possible,” Moore added.
Most of the structure had to be torn down, and several boats inside the showroom were a total loss.
According to Moore, the fire spread through the roof access, engulfing the whole top of the structure.
Jacob Ambs, an employee at the marina said in a Facebook post, “I arrived to work this morning and 10 mins later the entire building was ablaze. I called 911 immediately, was able to save everyone’s personal items before the ceiling and the shop collapsed.”
Today, Thayer Marine posted on their Facebook page, “Despite the tragedy of yesterday the Thayer Marine crew is still hard at work and taking care of customers. If you need parts or service please text us at 517-787-3000.
“Also, thank you to everyone who has messaged, texted, and prayed. We appreciate it more than you can imagine.”
