City of Battle Creek issued the following announcement.
Incident number: 2021-00065
Type of emergency: Structure fire
Incident date: 1/3/2021
Incident time: 7:47 a.m.
Address/location: 266 Oneita St.
Occupied? Yes
Owner: Charles Walker
Probable cause, if known: Under investigation
Structure type: Residential structure
Construction type: Two-story, wood-frame construction
Estimated property damage: N/A
Estimated contents damage: N/A
Location/extent of damage: Extensive fire damage throughout structure
Hazardous materials involved?: N/A
Specialized rescues?: N/A
Vehicles involved: N/A
Injuries
None
Fatalities
YES - one civilian
Other information: The Battle Creek Fire Department was dispatched for a confirmed structure fire at 266 Oneita. Engine 2 was first on scene, reporting heavy fire involvement, and established a defensive attack. Engine 5 arrived quickly, establishing water supply, and Car 3 took command. Rescue 3, Rescue 4, Squad 4, Truck 6, and Squad 6 performed coordinated search and attack.
Two tenants were inside the house at the time of the fire, and only one was able to escape. The Fire Marshal is investigating, and the cause is undetermined at this time. Crews were on-scene over 2.5 hours.
UPDATE 1/4/2021 -- This is the same house where Amber Griffin was located on the last night she was seen, June 22, 2020. Battle Creek Police processed the home multiple times, and have no reason to believe the fire is related to her case. Ms. Griffin was reported missing back in June, and police are treating it as a murder case. They have not located her at this time.
Preliminary investigation of the fire, by the Fire and Police departments, shows it was an accidental fire. We do not have information to release at this time about the person who died in the fire, but that person is not affiliated with the Griffin case.
Original source can be found here.
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