COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Careless smoking is being listed as the cause of a fire which broke out in one of the units at the Courtyard Furnished Apartments at 777 Orleans Blvd. on Coldwater’s east side early Thursday morning.
Coldwater and Quincy firefighters were initially dispatched at 5:42 a.m..
The first crew from the Coldwater Fire Department arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the apartment of origin.
Coldwater Fire Marshal Steve Trall says the fire forced nearly 100 residents to be safely evacuated.
The nearby Comfort Inn was made available to allow those who had to get out of their apartments to stay warm.
All the occupants except for about 10 were able to return to their apartments after the fire was extinguished.
The fire was contained to the unit where it broke out. A unit occupant had to be treated for smoke inhalation. Trall says the man refused transport to ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital.
A Coldwater Fire Department “all call” for off duty firefighters to report was then issued at 5:58 a..m..
Assistance was also requested from the Lakeland and Bronson Fire Departments as well as the Red Cross and the Branch County Sheriff’s Department Victims Services unit. Also assisting were Coldwater Police, Lifecare Ambulance, the Coldwater B.P.U. and Michigan Gas.
The fire was called out at 6:28 a.m. and crews remained on the scene until about 8:00 a.m.. Damages were estimated at over $22,000.
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