Neighbor reports house fire in Ann Arbor after seeing smoke
Ann Arbor Township firefighter Rob Klingsten unravels hoses after firefighters put out a fire at 2451 Traver Blvd. on Thursday.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
A fire that started in an Ann Arbor home just before noon Thursday was contained to a family room and likely was caused by an electrical problem, authorities said.
Firefighters from the city of Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor Township responded to the blaze at 2451 Traver Blvd., near Nixon Road.
Ann Arbor Township Fire Chief Rick Erickson said the residents are on vacation and no one else was home when the fire started. A neighbor called to report seeing smoke.
Ann Arbor Township firefighter Rob Klingsten, Ann Arbor firefighter Dave Dangler and Ann Arbor firefighter Tim Karolak, from left, work together to load up a hose after firefighters put out a fire at 2451 Traver Blvd. on Thursday.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
A firefighter from the city was treated at the scene for a minor facial cut, but there were no other injuries, Erickson said.
The fire remains under investigation.
Heidi Fenton covers police and courts for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heidifenton@annarbor.com or 734-623-4673. You also can follow her on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's e-mail newsletters.
Comments
jns131
Fri, Jul 29, 2011 : 1:45 p.m.
While we were on vacation we kept hearing of garage fires. Too bad ours wasn't one of em. Otherwise, again I say? So glad we spent the money on getting our house rewired. Hate to think of us coming home to a charred remains. Did they get a hold of the family on vacation? What a shock they will get once they get home.
Carole
Fri, Jul 29, 2011 : 12:25 p.m.
We definitely do have way too much government in our lives -- agree with aanewsmemories re: closest station should respond to be able to contain and insure the safety of lives. Kudos to all who arrived and saved the house from complete disaster--you all are great. This goes right along with sending AAFD on emergency runs when major wished to send them only in certain situations -- hogwash -- if someone is in need of emergency help (fire or health) immediate responding time is of the utmost importance. Again, way to go AAFD and surrounding FD.
True Facts
Thu, Jul 28, 2011 : 9:55 p.m.
Why did Ann Arbor city need help with that fire? Is there more to the story???
jns131
Sat, Jul 30, 2011 : 4:07 p.m.
But in the event of a true out break of fire the closest fire station will respond. We are in the township and our closest responded even though the city fire department responded as well. This was Russell Apartments. A township. 4 houses responded even though only two were needed. I think that is how it went.
aanewsmemories
Fri, Jul 29, 2011 : 6:25 a.m.
There is indeed more to the story. The photo above clearly shows township and city firefighters working together in a professional manner, as they always do in mutual aid situations. Kudos to our local firefighters, especially in this miserable weather. Because the home was initially thought to be in AA Township, both AA Twp stations (#1 Pontiac Trail x Warren and #2 Goss x Arrowhead) were dispatched first with automatic mutual aid dispatched simultaneously from Superior Twp (Ford x Prospect) per existing mutual aid agreements. The CLOSEST station, AA City #5 (Plymouth x Nixon) wasn't dispatched until the first AA Twp units arrived on scene and confirmed the address was in the city. THEN, all of the AA City stations were sent (except #6), at least one of which (#3, and maybe #4) is further from the scene than BOTH AA Twp stations. The problem is that fire departments in this area respond to incidents based on governmental boundaries, not on a "closest station" basis. The township vs. city location of a home should not matter. The CLOSEST stations should be sent so that lives and property are saved a quickly and efficiently as possible. If our local governments cooperated in this manner, AA City #5, AA Twp #1, and AA Twp #2 would have been dispatched simultaneously to this fire and would have arrived in that order (followed by any additional stations, if needed.) Superior Twp #1 is the 6th closest station and should not have been called before closer stations. Luckily no one was injured and property damage was contained. But, since fire size grows exponentially every minute, sending the closest firefighters to the scene regardless of governmental boundaries is critical. Our local governments and fire departments should adjust response areas such that the closest stations are sent regardless of governmental boundaries.
Heidi Fenton
Thu, Jul 28, 2011 : 11:43 p.m.
@True Facts Erickson told me this afternoon there was confusion over where the house was located—whether it was in the city or the township. Both departments responded, and because the home is located within the city, city crews remained on scene later to investigate.