Residents try to move forward after large fire at Southfield condominium complex
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — Some residents of a condominium complex in Southfield that caught fire Monday returned to their units Tuesday to try to salvage what they could.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. A 73-year-old woman was killed in the fire. Her name has not been released.
The massive fire impacted 32 units in total, with 16 mostly destroyed. Dozens of people were displaced, and many are left wondering what will happen next.
It's a sight that the people living at the Le Chateau Condominiums will never forget. When the fire started around 2:15 p.m. Monday, Karen Shelby says it was complete chaos.
"I saw flames coming out the back window of the middle apartment unit upstairs," Shelby said.
While Shelby's building was spared at the time, the rapidly moving fire caused a lot of anxiety.
"Just scared and the fear of what could possibly happen," Shelby said.
Now, with the smoke and flames gone, this is what's left. There are charred remains, debris on the ground, visible rafters from the ceiling, and most of the roof is gone.
Investigators were back to pick through the rubble and find the cause of the fire.
"I've never been this close to a fire to see how quickly it spread and the damage it caused, and you can see directly through those units. That's sad," Shelby said.
Desabata Robinson lives on the first floor of the building, where most of the units were destroyed.
"I said this isn't no small fire and it just spread from right to left like a meteor," Robinson said.
Luckily, he is staying with his son who lives nearby. He says he's not going to let what happened defeat him.
"Most of the stuff was materialistic. You can get it back," he said.
Residents also had a message for the family members of the women who died.
"The young lady who had lost her grandmother sending prayers to their family as well," Shelby said.