A wood-burning sauna behind a home at 805 Third St. in Ann Arbor was destroyed after catching fire Wednesday evening.
The Ann Arbor Fire Department responded to the call at 5:15 p.m. Battalion Chief Robert Vogel said the 10-by-10 foot, free-standing sauna was a total loss, and the corner of a nearby garage suffered minor damage.
Vogel said the male tenant of the home started the wood burning in the sauna's stove around noon today with the intention of using the sauna this evening. The tenant’s wife and his neighbor both saw the flames, which were shooting out of the roof, and called 911, Vogel said.
He added he could not estimate the total damage, not knowing how much it cost to build the sauna. It took about 10 minutes to put out the flames, he said.
The tenant, his wife and their dog were home at the time of the fire. There were no injuries.
The fire remains under investigation.
