Small fire strikes destroyed Kronk Gym

Detroit — Fire struck the renowned Kronk Gym on Saturday, officials said. 

The west side boxing gym caught fire around 11 a.m. Deputy Fire Chief Dave Fornell said and when firefighters arrived at the building at McGraw and Junction, the fire had extinguished itself. 

Fornell said the small fire occurred in the back of the gym, but firefighters haven't determined if it was arson. No injuries were reported.

The Kronk Gym, which produced champions like Tommy Hearns, was destroyed by a large fire in October 2017 that took firefighters four-hours to extinguish, Fornell said. 

Read more: Fire destroys iconic Kronk Gym in Detroit

The building, built in 1920's, was vacant at the time of the October fire. The gym, founded by the late Emanuel Steward, made the city an international hub of boxing. The gym closed in 2006 and relocated to its current home at 9520 Mettetal.

Steward trained 41 world champion fighters throughout his career, most notably Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko and Hearns, all who called the Kronk Gym home. 

srahal@detroitnews.com