Plymouth Township fire destroys Lake Pointe Village apartments

Mar. 21, 2013  PLYMOUTH VOICE.

A huge fire consumed an eight-unit apartment building at Lake Pointe Village apartment complex on Shadywood in Plymouth Township this morning.

Firefighters from four community fire departments responded to calls for help after residents heard an explosion that blew off the door on an upper north end unit. The fire was still burning two hour later as news crews and a TV station helicopter hovered over the smoke plums from the flaming building.

First reports were there were not injuries. One upset resident that tripped and fell on the sidewalk said she lost her dog in the fire. Other residents were concerned about lost pets.

Karen Jordan, one year resident said she was devastated. “All I know is I heard a loud explosion coming from that end unit…and then someone was knocking at my door saying to get out…now.” It was the property manager.

“It blew the door off” It’s crazy…” Jordan said.

I’m just so sad…you just know the building is going to be gone…”

“It’s just so hard… My mother is in the hospital and now this ..”

Mark Wendel, Plymouth Township fire chief said, “When we arrived we found the building fully engaged. The building has a common attic, and the fire spread quickly.”

Northville Fire Chief, Jim Allen said his department was called for back up; Northville City’s Fire Department covers Plymouth City limits. In addition, Northville Township and Livonia provided mutual aid.

The Salvation Army service truck arrived later to provide help and a warming station was being set up at the clubhouse for the displaced residents at posting time.

POSTED COMMENT:

By: Jack Ryan  (As posted to Click-On-Detroit) WDIV Detroit

The Plymouth Township Board of Trustees recently cut the fire department staff in half. They laid off half of the firefighters, and they are down a couple more because of retirements that they have chosen not to replace. Livonia, Northville, and Northville Township fire departments had to come in and help with this fire because the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees has gutted their fire department. It’s only a matter of time before someone loses their life because of the decisions of the Board of Trustees, particularly Supervisor Richard Reaume, Treasurer Ron Edwards, and Trustee Robert Doroshewitz. It will be on their hands when they pull dead bodies out of a house or building one of these days. Real lucky people didn’t die in this fire. Had it happened at night people would have died. It’s not a matter of if, but rather, a matter of when someone loses their life because of an atrociously understaffed fire department.

 |News Plymouth Michigan