'This could have been so much worse'

WILLARD — "Sometimes the good Lord is looking out for you." It could have been much worse. A lightning strike caused a fire Thursday evening as Blossom Healthcare nursing home, 370 E. Howard St., in Willard, causing extensive damage but no deaths and just one minor injury to a firefighter. All 63 residents were taken out safely with two taken to the hospital for precautionary measures. When you hear about nursing home fires in Huron County, the first one that comes to mind is the one in Fitchville on Nov. 23, 1963, when 63 people died. "Same number of people ... 63 and 63," Willard Fire & Rescue Chief Joe Reiderman said. "I think they had 63 deaths if I remember right. "This could haver been so much worse." Here is the release from the department: "On January 19, 2023, at 17:52, the Willard Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched for a fire odor investigation at a Nursing Home Facility in the 300 Block of East Howard Street. Upon arrival, units found a working structure fire. Patients in the primary hazard area were moved to safe zones on the opposite side of the building. A neighboring church was set up as a temporary staging area for the 63 residents until they were transferred to other care facilities. Multiple E.M.S. agencies, County agencies, and the Willard City Schools assisted the nursing home staff with transferring the residents. "Two residents were transferred from the temporary staging area to the hospital for precautionary measures. One firefighter was treated on the scene for a minor injury. "Mutual aid fire companies were brought in from eight other departments. The State Fire Marshal's Office sent two investigators to the scene, and they determined that a lightning strike was the cause of the fire. "The Willard Fire and Rescue Department would like to thank everyone who assisted with this event. The outpouring of support from our community and the neighboring communities is truly amazing." "We had EMS, mutual aid, the school, the church ... It was everybody on deck," Reiderman said. "Sometimes the good Lord is looking out for you. Two taken to the hospital and one firefighter treated at the scene. Count your blessings. I couldn't be prouder." Reiderman said 25 of his firefighters were on the scene and "Right around 80 firefighters total," He said. "EMS ... you name it and they were here. We had everybody and their brother there. Too many people to thank." Reiderman said his first crew at the scene entered the front door and met with the staff. "They walked down the hallway into the back area of the building," he said. "They could see fire above the roofline on the corner of the building (on the Howard Street side of the building). "They iniated the evacuation at that point and moved the residents across the street." Residents were taken to area nursing facilities, including some of them in Norwalk. "The building is completly empty," Reiderman said. "There is heavy damage to that side of the (assisted living) building. They have some work to do. I can't tell you how long that will be. There is a whole lot to do and regulation to meet before they can get people back into the building." Reiderman said he couldn't thank everybody enough for all of the help he received. "I said a little prayer when I was home ... something could have really gone bad. A lot of skilled people who did an amazing job," he said. Norwalk sent three trucks and 11 firefighters as mutual aid. Here is the report from Lt. Ben Blodgett: "Ladder 554 and 506 responded to the above location for mutual aid to a reported nursing home on fire. Upon our arrival on scene unit 128 contacted Willard incident command who had us report to the staging area. Once at the staging area Willard incident command asked us to bring our members and equipment to the command post. "Upon making contact with the Willard incident commander we received orders to enter the building, work our way down a large 'L' shaped hallway and search for fire and to clear rooms of patients. While in the structure all Norwalk members performed overhaul in the ceilings and walls. Members also checked any room we came across for potential remaining residents, with none found. Once task was completed Willard incident command assigned Norwalk units to overhaul another hallway with several other fire departments. "All members pulled ceiling, checked for fire extension and then flowed water with an 1" 3/4 hand line to ensure their were no hidden hot spots. Once all tasks were completed Willard incident command released all Norwalk units. Ladder 554 and 506 returned to service."