Fire damages N. Toledo apartment complex, central city house

5/29/2013

Fire heavily damaged a North Michigan Street apartment house early today, with wind scattering embers in the Michigan-Stickney Avenue alarming neighbors.

Battalion fire Chief Timothy Clapp said the blaze appeared to have started in the first-floor apartment of the four-unit building.

Firefighters were dispatched at 2:46 a.m. after a neighbor across from the burning building saw fire. Chief Clapp said the apartment's resident was not at the scene.

The  blaze quickly spread to the two second-floor unoccupied apartments and then into the attic. Chief Clapp said his crews had the fire under control by about 3 a.m.

As fire crews finished cleanup at the North Michigan Street scene and were being released to their respective firehouses, an alarm was turned in shortly before 5 a.m. for a fire at 523 Cadillac Ct.

Chief Clapp said Truck 17 was en route to its firehouse and subsequently directed to the Cadillace fire. As it pulled up to the fire, an overhead electrical wire fell onto the rig, rendering unable to be used because of the hazard.

Chief Clapp said the house had been occupied until last weekend, when the tenants moved out. The home was destroyed, and there was some heat damage to an adjacent home, he said,