PRESS RELEASE
On October 7, 2026, at approximately 9:43 p.m., the Fruitport Township Police Department was dispatched to assist the Fire Department with a reported vehicle fire in the 3200 block of East Broadway Avenue.
Upon arrival, the first responding Fruitport Police Officer located an SUV in a wooded area that was heavily involved in fire. The Officer, along with two citizens who had stopped to provide assistance, determined that the vehicle was still occupied by the female driver.
The Officer and citizens immediately initiated efforts to remove the driver from the burning vehicle. An initial attempt to suppress the fire with a portable fire extinguisher was unsuccessful due to the extent of the flames. After being unable to open the vehicle's doors, the Officer and citizens began breaking windows toward the rear of the SUV in an effort to establish an exit.
The driver was able to move to the rear passenger compartment, where the Officer and citizens assisted her through a side window and out of the vehicle. Shortly after the driver was removed, the passenger compartment became fully engulfed in flames.
The driver, a 31-year-old Muskegon Township resident, was transported to Trinity Hospital for treatment and subsequently transferred to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. She is reported to be in stable condition.
The immediate actions of the responding Officer and the two citizens were instrumental in preventing a likely fatality. Their willingness to act under extremely hazardous conditions, with little regard for their own personal safety, directly contributed to the successful rescue of the driver.
There were no other passengers or vehicles involved in the crash which remains under investigation. Alcohol has not yet been ruled out as being a factor in the crash.
