Fire Marshal closes abortion clinic

MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) - The Muskegon fire marshal said the offices of the Women's Medical Services are unsafe for occupancy and closed the building after the owner called police to report a break-in.

The owner of the building at 863 East Apple Avenue called police around 9:40 a.m. Wednesday, officials said in a release.

Their website states: "Women's Medical Services, based in Muskegon, Michigan, is a women's abortion clinic that provides abortion services, counseling, and emergency contraception. Founded in 1964 as the Seaway Medical Clinic, which later became Seaway Hospital of Muskegon. The Seaway Hospital of Muskegon was a large urban Hospital branched as Women's Medical Services of Muskegon."

Investigators found a broken rear window but no other evidence of a larceny. However, officers noticed several building and health code violations and called for assistance.

Building inspectors and the fire marshal arrived, and the fire marshal determined the office was not safe.

Muskegon's public safety director, Jeffrey Lewis, told 24 Hour News 8 one violation was a leaky roof and another was improperly storing materials in a mechanical room.

Lewis said there are more serious violations, but said investigators are trying to talk to the doctor first.

"As you can see, it's a little sketchy at this time. I'm interested in getting to the bottom of this also, and of course time is always against us because we'd like to get everything solved right away," Lewis said. "But in this case the key person is the doctor, or the person in charge of the clinic. We really need to talk to that person."

24 Hour News 8 spoke with Troy Newman, the president of Operation Rescue, an anti-abortion group from Kansas . The group claims it complained about the Women's Medical Services clinic within the past six months. But he said he knew nothing about the breaking-and-entering at the site.

The investigation continues.