Fire causes heavy damage to Ann Arbor apartment

A fire severely damaged an apartment this morning in south Ann Arbor, but the apartment’s resident and as many as 50 of her neighbors from surrounding units were evacuated without injuries.

Responding to the 11:06 a.m. call, firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from the garden apartment in the 600 block of Hidden Valley Drive, said Ann Arbor Fire Department Battalion Chief Jim Baldwin.

A crew of six firefighters extinguished the flames with water from a single hose, but all the apartment’s contents were lost.

Baldwin said evacuating the neighbors was a greater challenge than putting out the fire. All six available Ann Arbor units were called to the scene to assist.

Some of the surrounding apartments suffered smoke damage.

No injuries were reported. Firefighters were on the scene for about 90 minutes.

The Washtenaw County Red Cross is helping the apartment’s resident find temporary lodging. It wasn’t known if other residents were displaced.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.