Cleanup begins after Christmas Day fire at Southfield apartment complex
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — What remains from a two-alarm fire on Christmas that destroyed two units at a Southfield apartment complex is being boarded up.
The Southfield Fire Department had to call in reinforcements from around Oakland County when a major fire broke out at the Radius at Ten Mile apartments. The Red Cross of Southeast Michigan said all of the residents who were displaced by the fire had found temporary housing.
"This fire had a tremendous head start on the on us when we we got there, um, the whole first floor was totally involved," said Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee.
Menifee tells CBS News Detroit all five units in the building were affected by the fire and later water damage. As of Thursday evening, Menifee says two residents remain in the hospital, but there were no deaths.
"The thing that I'm most proud of is that we didn't lose a life in this," he said.
David Seaver, who was part of the crew boarding up the apartments on Thursday, says that two of the units are totaled, but some of the ones adjacent are still salvageable.
Seaver said the first steps after a major fire like this one involve getting rid of many burned items.
"All the loose items are disposed of, and then after all that's disposed of, then is taking the drywall down to the studs and cleaning them," he said. "You know replacing as needed but saving what's salvageable."
Seaver said, unfortunately, repairs don't happen in an afternoon.
"It can be quite a lengthy process; it can take months," he said.
Menifee said that situations like this one are a good example of just how important it is to have a working smoke detector.
"That is the biggest and the best thing that we can do in this holiday season," he said. "Now we know they have a sealed battery that lasts ten years. That's the best thing we can do."
