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TAKE A LOOK AT THE MASSIVE
FLAMES AS FIRE RIPPED THROUGH
A HISTORIC WHITEHALL RESORT
THAT HAD STOOD FOR OVER A
CENTURY.
THE FIRE BREAKING OUT JUST
BEFORE 5 THIS MORNING.THESE
PICTURES WERE SENT INTO REPORT
IT
THE MICHILLINDA LODGE SITS ON
THE SHORES OF LAKE MICHIGAN,
NESTLED BETWEEN WHITE LAKE AND
DUCK LAKE IN MUSKEGON COUNTY.
24 HOUR NEWS 8'S MARC THOMPSON
WAS ON SCENE THIS MORNING AND
SPOKE WITH THE OWNERS ABOUT
THE LOSS.
((EVEN IN DAYLIGHT, HOURS
AFTER THE FIRE WAS OFFICIALLY
KNOCKED DOWN, IT'S STILL
DIFFICULT TO MAKE OUT EXACTLY
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE ON SCENE
AS FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUE TO
PUT OUT HOT SPOTS AND THE
SMOKE CONTINUES TO SMOLDER.
THIS FOUR STORY STRUCTURE NOW
BURNT TO THE GROUND.))THE FIRE
BROKE OUT AROUND 4:30 THIS
MORNING - AND WHEN FLAMES
BEGAN TO ENGULF THE MAIN
BUILDING... FIREFIGHTERS
CALLED IN A MASSIVE RESPONSE.
THE PROBLEM HOWEVER... WATER.
WATER.((BOB GAGNON/DEP FIRE
CHIEF CITY OF NORTON SHORES:
"THERE ARE NOT ANY HYDRANTS IN
THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY -
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TO RELY ON
THE TANKERS."))TANKERS FROM IN
AND AROUND MUSKEGON COUNTY
WERE BROUGHT IN - DRAWING
WATER FROM WHITE LAKE AND DUCK
LAKE TO PUT DOWN THE FLAMES.
FLAMES.INVESTIGATORS TELL US
FIVE WORKERS WERE INSIDE THE
BUILDING WHEN THE FIRE STARTED
AND ALL MADE IT OUT SAFELY.AS
FOR WHAT STARTED IT...
IT...((GAGNON: "THE INITIAL
REPORT IS THAT A CALL WAS
PLACED TO 911 WITH A REPORT OF
A SPACE HEATER ON FIRE BY ONE
OF THE OCCUPANTS."))
OCCUPANTS."))(("ANOTHER MAJOR
CHALLENGE WAS THIS LARGE SAND
DUNE. IT SITS JUST FEET AWAY
FROM THE MAIN PROPERTY AND
OFFICIALS TELL ME, IT TOO
CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE FLAMES
SPREADING UP THE SIDES SOME 75
TO 100 FEET."))BUT FIRE CREWS
SCALED THE DUNE AND PUT OUT
THE FLAMES...THEY WERE ALSO
ABLE TO SAVE NEARLY A DOZEN
OTHER OUTBUILDINGS AND
COTTAGES ON THE RESORT PROPERTY.
PROPERTY.((GEORGE
WICHAM/OWMER: "WE'VE JUST GONE
THROUGH AND EXTENSIVE
RENOVATION OF ALL THE
BUILDINGS WHICH INCLUDED THE
LODGE WHICH IS BURNED DOWN."))
GEORGE WIXSOM IS ONE OF THREE
OWNERS THAT BOUGHT MICHILLINDA
LODGE SOME 12 YEARS AGO.
AGO.BUT ITS HISTORY DATES BACK
TO THE LATE 18 HUNDREDS...
ACCORDING TO WIXOM IT WAS
BUILD AS A SUMMER HOME FOR A
CHICAGO FAMILY. IT'S BEEN A
BAR, A HOTEL, BED AND
BREAKFAST AND RESORT OVER THE
PAST HUNDRED YEARS.NAMED
MICHILLINDA - COMBINING THE
STATES OF MICHIGAN - ILLINOIS
- AND INDIANA FOR THE TOURISTS
ITS SERVED.THE MAIN LODGE HAD
18 GUEST ROOMS AND TWO DINING
ROOMS WITH SEATING FOR MORE
THAN 200... AND ITS
SPECTACULAR VIEWS OF LAKE
MICHIGAN MADE IT IDEAL FOR
REUNIONS AND WEDDINGS.
WEDDINGS.((WIXOM: "WE HAD
AROUND 20 WEDDINGS BOOKED FOR
THIS COMING SEASON AND WOULD
HAVE PROBABLY GONE TO AROUND
SOMEWHERE AROUND 30 I WOULD
THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE
WEDDING SHOWS COMING UP. SO IT
WOULD HAVE BEEN A NICE YEAR
FOR US AND WE STILL THINK
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT
COULD POSSIBLY BE DONE."))
WIXOM IS JUST THANKFUL NO ONE
WAS HURT...
HURT...(("AND THE OWNERS HERE
TELL ME THEY ARE STILL BUSY
ASSESSING THE DAMAGE HERE TO
THE RESORT AND IT'S TOO EARLY
TO TELL WEATHER OR NOT THEY
WILL COMPLETELY REBUILD... IN
WHITEHALL, MARC THOMPSON, 24
HOUR NEWS 8."))