Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. By SCOTT BRAND
THE EVENING NEWS
SAULT STE. MARIE Assistant Fire Chief Michael E. Kik, 30, of the Hulbert Fire Department was arraigned on nine felony counts of arson in the 91st District Court on Friday, according to a Chippewa County Sheriff Office press release.
Kik's arrest follows a lengthy investigation conducted by the Chippewa County Sheriff Deputies, the U.S. Forest Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment into a series of forest fires. Authorities caught their first big break back on April 22 responding to a fire in the Hulbert area, according to Sheriff Robert Savoie, when an alert deputy noted some tire tracks and was able to make a cast. It just so happened that later in the day Kik was observed driving a vehicle which was leaving tracks which appeared virtually identical to those found at the original crime scene.
Investigating officers started looking at fires dating back to the spring of 2009 and it was found that many suspected arsons in the area could be connected to Kik.
Chippewa County Undersheriff Mike Bitnar said it does not appear as though any kind of accelerant was used in starting the numerous fires. Evidence suggests that the fires were set using natural materials found in the woods with firefighting crews able to contain each one of the blazes to just a couple acres or so of forest land.
None of them got seriously out of control, but the potential was there, said Bitnar.
Kik was arrested on Wednesday and formally arraigned before Judge Elizabeth Church on the nine felony counts. Bond was set at $10,000 following Kik's Friday court appearance.
It's actually extremely common, said Bitnar explaining the apparent paradox of a firefighter setting fires. A high percentage of arsonists are somehow involved in firefighting.
With that said, however, the Chippewa County Sheriff Office was quick to remind local residents that this case should in no way reflect negatively on the great work performed by the many volunteers who perform fire and ambulance duties on a daily basis.
The sheriff office would like to thank all the volunteers that make our emergency service so great, concluded Bitnar in the press release.
