A Northville resident is thankful for his smoke alarm which very likely saved his life after his apartment kitchen caught fire last week.
Fire crews from five communities were dispatched to the Swan Harbour Apartments at 19255 Silver Springs Dr. in response to the first alarm called in at 6:28 p.m. Aug. 29.
According to reports, Northville Township Firefighters were first on the scene, arriving within 5 minutes of the alarm. When the firefighters arrived, they reported visible flames blowing from the second story apartment doorwall . Mutual Aid was requested from Livonia, Plymouth Township, Northville City and Novi fire departments.
According to Township Fire Chief Brent Siegel, the fire started in the kitchen of the eight-unit apartment complex. The resident reported he had been cooking before he fell asleep, awoke to his smoke alarm and saw the kitchen was on fire. Siegel said the smoke alarm activated the building fire alarm. All apartment building occupants were able to safely exit the building, including the man in whose apartment the fire began.
“We had about 25 firefighters on scene and the fire was contained to the apartment of origin and was under control in 20 minutes,” Siegel said.
Siegel said fire investigators determined the incident to be an accidental cooking fire.
“There is no doubt that the working smoke alarms saved multiple lives during this fire. Smoke alarms save lives,” Siegel stressed.
All surrounding units sustained smoke and water damage causing residents to vacate until repairs are complete.
Photos by Matt Zmuda
