Departments got creative during Calumet fire to find water

The response to the Fifth Street fire was marked by fortuitous breaks early, and remarkable creativity as conditions worsened. Director of the Hancock Salvation Army Center Peter Mackin says, by coincidence, he was nearby as the fire broke out around 10:45 PM Friday, allowing him to be on scene and begin relief efforts immediately.

Houghton and Laurium stepped up quickly to provide ladder trucks, since Calumet Fire’s was undergoing maintenance. For 36 hours, Mackin and his staff of three volunteers worked nonstop to help place those who lost their apartments, either with friends and family in the area or at the AmericInn. The Red Cross now counts 37 individuals who required shelter assistance.

Additionally, Mackin called the McDonald’s on Memorial Drive in Houghton immediately after they opened, and in under a half hour breakfast was ready for the nearly 100 firefighters from twelve departments on scene. The Salvation Army helped get the food to Calumet, along with bottled water and other necessities.

Tadych’s Econofoods Manager John Dittmann is also a volunteer member of Bootjack Fire. His department was called to the scene about 1:00 AM Saturday as the water pressure dropped throughout the system and firefighters lost the ability to battle a blaze that had spread to almost a whole downtown block. Dittmann talks about how they creatively solved the problem.

Econofoods has made a donation of foods and other goods. Baby E’s BBQ of Houghton has also provided food for volunteers and those displaced.

A boil water advisory was declared from Saturday morning to Monday morning for Calumet and Laurium.