KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo Public Safety is blaming a fire that heavily damaged a home in the 2200 block of Regent Street late Wednesday afternoon on Christmas decorations.
The first crews on the scene found smoke coming from all sides of the single story home. Everyone inside had already evacuated.
Fire crews attacked the fire from inside and outside and quickly knocked it down.
Fire Marshall Jim Williams determined the residents had stapled Christmas lights to the wall, damaging the cords and causing them to short out and spark, igniting the Christmas tree.
The fire spread from the tree to the attic.
They say the residents delayed calling 911 as they tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire themselves, which made the damage worse.
