racerx

Tue, Aug 23, 2011 : 8:20 p.m.

@Linsey-I sure you've been following the cutting of the fire department within our city. This is a great concern, and a legitimate concern for the community. Though we might not have all the answers to some of the city's problems, most of the posters here are concerned that there aren't enough fire fighters to serve our city due to budget cuts. Have agreements with other local communities are well and good. However, if a downtown business caught on fire, I wouldn't want a fire truck from Pittsfield or Ypsilanti to be responsible if on this particular day, AAFD has a station that is closed on a rotating basis. Even the mayor has acknowledged that there aren't that many fires, thus the cuts. Still, older buildings, like yours, pose a different problem to fire fighters as shown with this fire. As someone who works in one of these older buildings, I'd be very concern for any future fires and would suggest to be more productive with my time towards those at city hall who are making these decisions instead of people, like myself, who has nothing better to do but reply.

steve h

Tue, Aug 23, 2011 : 2:43 a.m.

sorry for your loss

steve h

Tue, Aug 23, 2011 : 2:43 a.m.

Linsey, don't try and reason with posters here. they're quite myopic in their reasoning.

Mr Blue

Tue, Aug 23, 2011 : 2:02 a.m.

You're not a real restaurant owner until you've had a hood fire.

racerx

Tue, Aug 23, 2011 : 8:13 p.m.

@Liz;@actionjackson-I'd be more upset if a fire broke in my house on the westside of town, however, since the station that would normally cover my side of town was tied up on the complete opposite of town when the fire was put out within 11min., after having the initial truck arrive within 4min., the truck that would normally tend to my fire is now on the other side of town. Risking significant injury since my truck went to a fire that four other stations arrived at also. Just saying. This seemed like over kill.

Tru2Blu76

Tue, Aug 23, 2011 : 12:48 a.m.

Please understand, under the new Rick Snyder system: the city is making "optimized use" of it's police and fire "resources." So - as was explained in another post: when you have not enough people to operate ONE truck, the needed people must be sent in other trucks!! Also, any substantial fire may be hard to assess by first arriving fire fighters, so to be absolutely safe, that initial "have two, need two more" situation repeats: so that backup will arrive - from more distant stations!! Now isn't that a genius plan? ;-)

actionjackson

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 10:56 p.m.

Right on Liz!

Liz

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 10:04 p.m.

I bet if it was a fire at your house, you wouldn't be upset if 5-7 trucks reported.

huh7891

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.

Beautiful day outside, low humidity, lots of sun.

StopThink

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:40 p.m.

Yes, because we all know that the only thing the fire department does is put out fires. They certainly don't cut people out of cars when there has been an accident. They certainly don't do CPR on people who have heart attacks. They certainly don't save drowning victims from the river. They certainly don't run search and rescue operations when a building collapses. And they MOST CERTAINLY don't keep small little fires, like a pot on a stove or a car in a garage, from turning into the loss of an entire home - therefore you never even hear about it in the newspaper or on the TV. Nope. Never happens.

Kyle Mulka

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 6:56 p.m.

Main and Ashley are still closed as of about 2:50pm

djm12652

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 6:49 p.m.

I haven't gone outside to look so Main St. is open to traffic again?

Mr Blue

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:43 p.m.

You miss the irony to take a shot at people who, for the most part, actually sit in armchairs. I bet that the regular cast of characters are neither Fire Chiefs nor journalists but have an armchair ready to comment for any occasion from football coach to president.

Charlie Brown's Ghost

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:24 p.m.

Almost as bad as an armchair journalist.

Carole

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 10:48 p.m.

Joni, your comment is totally disturbing -- have you ever been in a fire, responded to help folks in a fire. As mentioned, it stated why so many truck were there -- until you have walked or worked in the boots of a firefighters, I wish you would have more compassion for the work that they do to keep the citizens safe -- what would have happened if less responded and the fire took hold and spread throughout the city - what then.

Joni

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:15 p.m.

I do NOT think they needed that many anything..period(what a show??)... they have very little to do but wash the trucks! crazy tax money drain! How much did that cost???... oh yeah we pay them even if no fires!!!... are there any fires more than a couple times a year??? How many does this city need???

Angela Fiegel

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:43 p.m.

@djim Thanks but no I haven't. Just adding what I've seen all day. @blanch The original unedited report only said that someone had been taken by ambulance and gave no details. As of 3:45 pm Main is still shut down from Huron to Miller. They have even shut down the sidewalk between the Main Steet Party Store and Sabor Latino's as well as across the street. The firefighters are packing things up but have been for over a half hour. The police are still there as well. Hopefully everything will be cleared out by 5pm for rush hour.

Blanch DuBois

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:36 p.m.

"A cook at the restaurant was taken by ambulance to a local hospital after he injured his knee running from the fire, Ann Arbor Assistant Fire Chief Ed Dziubinski said." Not sure how you missed that djm.

djm12652

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 6:51 p.m.

Thanks Angela, ever think of moon-lighting as a reporter for annarbor.com? Your comment has more info than the above "article"...lol

Angela Fiegel

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 5:14 p.m.

It looks very much like the man who worked in the restaurant. I work directly across the street and saw him bending over, breathing heavy on the sidewalk before anyone responded. He looked as if he'd breathed too much smoke. I do know the fire alarm there was loud enough to hear from my office and had been going off for at least five to eight minutes before anyone responded. They've had firefighters on the roof, in front, and around back of the building. From the roof of the Ann-Ashley structure you can see they ripped open a few ventilation holes in the roof and opened the second floor windows in the back. As of 1:12 there is still smoke coming from the front doors of Sheesh.

clara

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 5:04 p.m.

Yes, it would be nice to know. The picture appears to be a male dressed all in white.

Joni

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 7:16 p.m.

I guess not too many fires.. every fire fighter wanted to participate?? It was a beautiful day... not to hot or cold!

trapper

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 5:02 p.m.

Pittsfield and Ypsilanti City were asked to furnish units with towers which can reach the roofs of the buildings inviolved. This is very typical of the mutual aid that can be furnished by neighboring departments. Ann Arbor has plenty of police and fire personnel on hand, as well as HVA support. Looks like a good response by Ann Arbor and our neighbors.

amlive

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 4:54 p.m.

Now Ricebrnr, before throwing allegations like that around you might also consider the possibility of concern that this restaurant generates a lot of grease, and is directly joined to a number of other businesses to which fire could easily and quickly spread (more readily than fire may jump houses in a residential neighborhood anyway). It may just be possible that when a call comes in for a place like this, they overreact as a measure of precaution, presuming and preparing for the worst possible developments. Better too many than too few. Still, I have to admit - Seven trucks including one from Pittsfield? How could they even fit that many in close enough proximity to this building to be effective? I hope everyone's okay.

4 Fingers

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.

agreed. And I wonder what the bill will be to A2 from the surrounding communities for their services.

Craig Lounsbury

Mon, Aug 22, 2011 : 4:51 p.m.

I'm in favor of more fire fighters. I'm in favor of reopening #2 as well. As a city resident I'm willing to give up less important thing to get there. That's my disclaimer To toss out a possible answer your first question, maybe it wasn't needed. In any case 7 fire trucks seems like a good response. And ya I know it leaves other possible emergency's at risk. (see my disclaimer)