(12-1-20) ON 12/01/20 AT 4:49 AM THE BERRIEN COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCH RECEIVED A 9-1-1 CALL OF A STRUCTURE FIRE AT THE APARTMENTS LOCATED IN THE 1300 BLOCK OF LEISURE LANE IN NILES
CHARTER TOWNSHIP.

UPON ARRIVAL FIRST RESPONDERS OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM ONE OF THEAPARTMENTS. FIRST RESPONDERS WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE OCCUPANTS OF THIS APARTMENT WERE ALREADY SAFELY EVACUATED. DEPUTIES FROM THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE NILES TOWNSHIP PATROL AND AN OFFICER FROM THE BUCHANAN POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE ABLE TO ENTER THE APARTMENT COMPLEX AND SAFELY EVACUATE OTHER OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDING THAT WERE SLEEPING AT THE TIME.


THE RESPONDING FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE ABLE TO SAFELY EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND HAD IT UNDER
CONTROL AT 5:41 AM. THE BERRIEN COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS ASSISTED WITH
PROVIDING SHELTER FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE DISPLACED DUE TO THE FIRE.


TWO DEPUTIES WITH THE BERRIEN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WERE TREATED AND RELEASED AT
SPECTRUM HEALTH LAKELAND IN NILES FOR SMOKE INHALATION THEY SUSTAINED DURING THEIR EFFORTS

THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION AT THIS time.