Major fire causes $250K in damage to business at Ann Arbor strip mall
Photo courtesy of Ann Arbor Fire Department
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - A building fire that broke out at a strip mall outside Ann Arbor required a major emergency response and caused an estimated $250,000 in damage to one of the businesses.
The blaze, reported at the Cranbrook Shopping Plaza on West Eisenhower was elevated into a third alarm fire due to the severity of the situation.
According to Fire Chief Mike Kennedy, fire crews responded to the blaze after multiple callers reported the fire, instantly upgrading it to a first alarm. However, that status was elevated again once crews saw the significant fire showing from the commercial building.
The blaze, reported at the Big Blue Swim School, was seen at the business's overhang. A significant amount of wood and Styrofoam insulation fed the fire, the chief said. The business, which was under construction and had gone through several periods of renovations, required at one point five ladder trucks to get under control.
Authorities don't believe the fire started under suspicious circumstances.
Photo courtesy of Ann Arbor Fire Department
But the costly damages of hundreds of thousands of dollars wasn't limited to the business itself. Dibella's, Bob's Furniture, Sherwin Williams Paint, Ethan Allan Furniture, and Pet People all had smoke damage.
Fire departments from Ann Arbor, Pittsfield, and Scio Townships, as well as Saline responded.