Harrison Township

Apartment fire temporarily displaces residents

By Sarah Cormier
C & G Staff Writer

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — One unit in an apartment complex was ruined after a fire broke out there at 8:55 a.m. on Jan. 11.

The fire took place at the Drawbridge Apartments complex, located in the 36000 block of Union Lake Road in Harrison Township. Capt. John Roberts with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office said that people smelled smoke and heard the fire alarm going off, so they called 911.

“It was confined to one apartment, 301. However, the smoke was going throughout the building, to the upper floors,” explained Roberts, who said that deputies who arrived to the scene first helped clear people out of the complex.

A person living in the apartment where the fire happened was treated for minor issue. No one else in the complex was injured. An investigation is still being done on the blaze, but Roberts said that initial reports show that the fire was not suspicious in nature.

“I don’t think they were able to come to a … determination, but they think it’s an accident and its not any sort of intentional act,” he said.

Justin Dunckel, vice president of operations for Paragon Properties, which manages the Drawbridge Apartments complex, said that there are 12 units in the three-level building. At the time of the fire, 11 of them were occupied.

Dunckel said that just a few hours after the fire took place, all residents except for the two that lived in the unit that caught on fire were allowed back into their homes. The two displaced residents have since taken up occupancy in the one available unit.

Dunckel said that he is grateful no one was injured and that the complex requires all residents to maintain renters insurance.

It’s something that a lot of owners and mangers don’t require … it’s so important when things like this happen,” he said.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Sarah Cormier at scormier@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1095.