HAZEL PARK –  A league of sixty walked out of their locker room to flames on the ice late Monday Night.

The fire broke out around 10:45 p.m. on Woodward Boulevard in Hazel Park at the local Viking Ice Arena.

According to the on-ice officials, there was a delayed call against alleged arsonist-wannabe Kevin Olivere.  Olivere sparked the inferno incidentally Monday Night, causing the blaze to start.  One neighbor said he heard a cracking sound of wood hitting flesh, probably the sound of the kindling starting.

Madison Heights Fire Marshal Paul Biliti reported to the scene to address the situation, but found that the fire spread to the neighboring House.  Noticing that there wasn’t much time to address the issue (and that lives were at stake), Biliti jumped into action, throwing off his flame-retardant protective gear–both his helmet and his gloves–and started addressing the fire with his bare hands.  In speaking with the Fire Chief, he confirmed that bare-hand handling of fires is not only stupid, but against firehouse rules.  The Chief confirmed that Fire Marshal Biliti would be suspended, with pay, for the next week for his actions last night.  Additionally, the Hazel Park City Inspector confirmed that the House in question would be suspended, with pay, for the next week as well.  This reporter doesn’t understand how home dwellings can be suspended, but I don’t know the zoning laws.

All sixty league members and two dogs were inside the arena at the time of the fire, but were able to make it out safely.  This clearly coincides with the recent “No Pets Allowed” policy initiated in Hazel Park earlier this November.

Luckily, firefighters did not have to connect to a hydrant to fight this fire.  With the cold night temperatures, the entire street would have been a sheet of ice.  Players would have preferred this to the current conditions after Honey Baked skated on the ice earlier in the night.

From the Hazel Park Arson Crime Lab, this is Jarómy Drágr reporting.