The Ann Arbor Fire Department responded to a fire Monday afternoon near a vacant building behind Sava’s Restaurant on State Street.
The building, located at 212 S. State St., was unoccupied and according to firefighters at the scene, only trash surrounding the building actually burned. It’s currently unclear how the fire started.
Firefighters at the scene also said the building looks exactly as it did before the fire, but since the vacant building was already deemed unsafe for entry, firefighters did not enter the building to assess potential damage further.
The city previously issued a blight enforcement warning to the building’s owner, Bloomfield Hills developer Howard Frehsee, according to a September report in The Ann Arbor News. The city had determined the building was dangerous and sent its owner a notice ordering demolition of the structure. He had until Sept. 9 to comply.
The fire was fully extinguished by approximately 3:40 p.m.
Daily Staff Reporter Samantha Wintner contributed reporting.