Farmington Hills

No injuries at Freedom Village Apartments fire

By David Wallace
C & G Staff Writer

No one was injured when a fire broke out at the Freedom Village Apartments, on Freedom Road, west of Orchard Lake Road, early July 3.

The Fire Department received the first call about the fire at approximately 5:30 a.m. Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Bersche said that an off-duty Southfield firefighter noticed the fire, called 911 and started knocking on doors to alert residents at the complex.

“There are no injuries to either civilians or firefighters. We’re very thankful for that,” Bersche said.

The fire occurred in a corner where two buildings come together in an “L” shape.

“The fire, we believe, began on the outside of the building,” Bersche said. He said he could not speculate on what sparked the fire, though it probably wasn’t lightning because the fire started before the morning’s storm rolled through the area.

The fire seemed to burn its way through balconies and into the attic. Farmington Hills sent 27 firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

“We had three stations here,” Bersche said. The complex is on the border with Farmington, whose Public Safety Department provided two engines and a crew to help.

“It took about an hour to actually bring the fire under control,” Bersche said. Firefighters then spent a period of time checking the buildings for hotspots, such as fire in the walls, so that the fire would not reignite.

Bersche said that the fire was straightforward to put out, but working in two separate structures added to the challenge.

“There are people who have been displaced,” Bersche said.

He said that the apartment complex owner made arrangements for any displaced residents who so chose to stay at a local hotel.

Due to water and smoke damage, Bersche said both buildings won’t be occupied for the foreseeable future.
 

You can reach C & G Staff Writer David Wallace at dwallace@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1053.