Kalamazoo, MI:

On November 14th, 2019, at 12:45 pm, officers from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety responded to a business in the 5400 block of Portage St for a report of a car that had crashed into a building. When officers arrived, they located a small SUV that had crashed through the front door of a business, and came to rest about 20 feet inside the building. The driver, a 79 year old female, was able to get out of the vehicle on her own. There were no other occupants in the vehicle. Neither the vehicle driver, nor any customers inside the business were injured. As a precaution, a KDPS fire crew stood by while the vehicle was removed from the building. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 337-8120 or Silent Observer at 343-2100

By authority of:

Sgt. Robert Holdwick

Date: 11/14/19

Address: 150 E. Crosstown Pkwy., Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

Contact: KDPS Operations Division 269-337-8120

Kalamazoo, MI: On November 4, 2019, at 4:45 AM, Officers from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety were sent to the 1200 block of Portage Street for the report of a man stuck inside the body of a garbage truck. The driver of the truck called to report the incident after he heard the man screaming from the rear of his truck. He had not yet compressed the garbage, saving the man from serious injury or death. Apparently, the trapped man had been sleeping in the dumpster, and failed to get out in time when it was being emptied into the garbage truck.

Officers who arrived on scene made contact with the victim, and requested assistance of the KDPS Technical Rescue Team to remove him. The team was able to make access to the victim by using ladders to climb down into the body of the truck from the top of the container. The trapped man was assisted out of the confined space, and lowered to medical units by rope from the top of the truck. The awaiting ambulance then transported the man to a local hospital for minor wounds.

The total operation took approximately 90 minutes to safety extricate the trapped man from the garbage truck. This is first activation of the Kalamazoo Tech Rescue Team, which has been in operation for approximately one year. The team, consisting of 21 members of KDPS, is trained in rope, confined space, trench, and collapse rescue operations, and is part of the Michigan 5th District Technical Rescue Team. The team trains monthly in preparation for incidents like the one described above.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to call the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 269-488-8911, Silent Observer at 269-343-2100 or www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com.

By authority of: Lt. Timothy Loso

Date: November 4, 2019

Address: 150 E. Crosstown Pkwy., Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

Contact: Captain Matt Huber, KDPS Operations

Apartment Fire 4500 W Main St

Kalamazoo, MI: On Saturday, 11-02-19 at about 10:29 AM the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and Kalamazoo Township Fire Department responded to the 4500 block of W. Main St. for a report of apartment fire. Upon arrival, fire fighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from a second floor apartment. After about 30 minutes the fire was brought under control and contained to the one apartment. The Red Cross responded to the scene to provide assistance to the occupants of eleven apartments that were displaced because of water and smoke damage to the building. No one was injured during this incident.

The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety’s Fire Marshal’s office has investigated the fire. It appears that a resident had left a heated pan with oil unattended, which resulted in the oil catching fire and extending throughout the kitchen. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety would like to remind you, when cooking, not to leave the kitchen unattended. Statistics show that most fires that occur during the day start in the kitchen.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Kalamazoo Public Safety at (269)337-8120 or Silent Observer at (269)343-2100 or www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com.

By authority of: Sgt. Brandon Noble

Date: November 2nd, 2019

Address: 150 E. Crosstown Pkwy., Suite A, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

Contact: Captain Huber, 337-8120