Couch fires at MSU need to stop, officials say

East Lansing officials said they will be cracking down on couch burning after dozens of fire calls during the night of Michigan State University’s win over rival University of Michigan.

It was the first win since 2021 for the Spartans, and couch burning has a long history in East Lansing.

East Lansing Fire Chief John Newman said there were around 50 nuisance fires that night.

“They are not celebrations,” Newman said, during a Friday news conference at the city’s fire station on Abbott Road. “Setting fires in our streets, alleys and yars is reckless criminal behavior that puts lives, property and our first responders at serious risk. The real world consequnce of this activity was an immediate dangerous strain on our entire emergency response system.”

A backlog at Ingham County 911 Central Dispatch, directly affecting response time elsewhere in the county, Newman said, and potentially for life-threatening situations.

i’ve responded to hundreds, hundreds of these in my career,” he said, “these nuisance fires associated with a win, a loss or some other reason. They’re not fun. They’re not fun. Frankly, they’re idiotic and super dangerous.”

An East Lansing Fire Department truck leaves for a call immediately after a news conference on Nov. 13, where city officials talked about curbing couch fires in the city, related to Michigan State University events. Photo by Mike Ellis/City Pulse

He said the Sheriff’s Office plans to put resources into solving the fires and preventing them.

There can be five, 10 or even 15 calls at one time, he said. That ties up dispatchers and responders.

Officials said they plan to solve some of the fires and make prosecutions, and work with Michigan State University for further discipline for any students involved.

Removing combustable material ahead of events and other efforts will be part of the process, officials said.

East Lansing Assistant Police Chief Matt Kreft and Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth at a news conference on Nov. 13, 2026. Photo by Mike Ellis/City Pulse