Novi Condo Complex Destroyed In Fire
NOVI (WWJ) - Five homes were completely destroyed, but all the residents escaped safely after a condominium complex in Oakland County went up in flames.
The fire broke out Wednesday morning at the Olde Orchard Condominiums on Olde Orchard Street at 10 Mile Road, just west of I-275 in Novi.
Residents were quickly evacuated as firefighters went to work. Reporting live from the scene, WWJ's Mike Campbell said the building's roof was completely caved in, with firefighters dousing the flames from above.
One person was transported to a local hospital with minor burns. Another resident feared her cat had perished in the flames.
Novi Director of EMS and Fire Operations Jeff Johnson said the displaced residents are going to need some help.
"There's five total units. We are going to work with the management as well as the residents to make sure they have a place to stay and have someplace to go," Johnson said. "If they don't we're going to try to make arrangements to get them set up somewhere ... because, obviously, the building is a total loss."
Firefighters from Farmington Hills and Northville assisted the Novi Fire Department.
Johnson said crews did all they could.
"We had heavy fire conditions to the point that we tried to make an attack to put the fire out. Those efforts were not successful," he said. "We backed out all of our crews for safety reasons and we went to a defensive fire mode."
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.