Jessica Mathews /news@whmi.com


Crews from several departments battled a large blaze at a manufacturing plant over the weekend.

The Green Oak Charter Township Fire Department responded around 8:30pm Saturday on a report of a structure fire at PDM Packaging, located at 12434 Emerson Drive. Upon arrival, units found a well-involved fire with fire coming through vents in the roof in the center of a large commercial structure. A defensive fire attack was initiated to combat the fire.

The fire required multiple alarms to bring adequate resources to the scene. The area is not supported by a municipal water supply and water had to be shuttled to the scene with tankers as well as using water from ponds in the area which have dry hydrants in them to allow for drafting of water from them. Three ladder trucks were utilized as well as multiple hose lines from engines to bring the fire under control.

The fire was called under control at 11:45pm but units were on scene until 2:15am conducting overhaul and confirming the fire was out.

The Hartland Deerfield Fire Authority provided coverage and responded to emergency calls for Green Oak while its units were committed to the fire.

The Livingston County HazMat team also responded to the scene due to various chemicals in the building. Chemicals were involved in the fire but they were contained to the building and no hazards were present to the surrounding area. The business will be responsible for the cleanup.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but initial determinations suggest that it was accidental and related to a manufacturing process that was ongoing in the business, which was open and operating at the time of the fire.

The Green Oak Charter Township Fire Department was assisted on scene by the Brighton Area Fire Authority, Hamburg Township Fire Department, Northfield Township Fire Department, South Lyon Fire Department, Lyon Township Fire Department, Salem Township Fire Department, Milford Fire Department, Ann Arbor Township Fire Department, Putnam Fire Department, Howell Fire Authority, Unadilla Fire Department, Dexter Fire Department, Green Oak Charter Township Police Department, Hamburg Township Police Department, Brighton Police Department, Livingston County EMS, Livingston County Central Dispatch, and DART.