A fire that ravaged through one building of Meadowbrook Village Apartments located off Ann Arbor-Saline Road on Sunday evening caused severe damage but left all residents unharmed.
Two witnesses called 911 at 7 p.m. on Sunday after noticing flames coming from boxes on a first-floor patio that then spread to the upper level of the eight-unit building, said Ann Arbor Fire Marshal Kathleen Chamberlain.
The first and second floor apartments in the building’s northeast corner suffered the most damage, including the partial collapse of the roof.
Chamberlain said weather conditions enhanced the severity of the fire, making it more threatening.
“We had a lot of wind yesterday,” she said.
Because of the wind and the intense heat of the fast-moving fire, she said the situation became “even more dangerous.”
None of the units affected by the fire were occupied at the time. Though no one was injured, two cats were rescued by firefighters in one of the heavily damaged units.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated. Adjoining apartments suffered water and smoke damage, but Chamberlain credits the building’s firewalls for preventing the fire from spreading.
Representatives for Meadowbrook Village Apartments — owned by Ann Arbor-based real estate company McKinley — were unable to comment.