Eight people are still without a home tonight after a massive fire at a Northern Michigan apartment building.
Firefighters were called to the Spruce Motor Lodge on Lake Street in Roscommon around 2 in the morning Monday.
They say the three-story building was filled with smoke and flames coming from the lower level.
Everyone inside was able to get out safely, but the people who lived there, including veterans, are now forced to find another place to go.
Higgins Township Fire Chief Tim Mepham said they were on scene for 12 hours and had to call in more than seven other fire departments to help.
“The roof collapsed. Both top stories are totally destroyed. And on the bottom, it was a total loss,” said Mepham.
He said when they arrived the building was filled with heavy smoke and the kitchen and lower level were in flames.
Mepham said there were people inside, but they were able to evacuate them with the help of Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office.
Roscommon County Undersheriff Ben Lowe said their deputies were there from the very beginning.
“They helped evacuate everybody from that building. Since that time, we have been in constant contact with our local emergency management department,” said Lowe.
Roscommon County Emergency Management Director, Vanessa Varner, said the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Victim Services Unit has been coordinating with them to help make sure those displaced by the fire have the resources they need.
“There were eight evacuees that essentially came out with nothing. but what they were sleeping on, so, we had some that had no shoes so, the Victim Services has been working to get the basic need items,” said Varner.
Emergency Management Director Vanessa Varner said the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has been able to provide them with phones because many left without them but there are long-term needs as well.
“We’re working right now on finding a long-term setting for them. With it this close to Christmas. That makes it really difficult. This is a difficult time of year where there’s a lot of displaced individuals,” Varner.
Roscommon County Undersheriff Ben Lowe said he’s been working the phones, looking for solutions.
“We do have a housing crisis here in northern Michigan. And so, we’ve been dealing with a lot of different organizations trying to find, new long-term housing for all the people who are displaced,” said Lowe.
Lowe said it’s critical to support those displaced because a lot don’t have support systems to turn to and because they have to start from scratch.
The Sheriff’s office is helping by collecting monetary donations. You can contact them by calling the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Office Victim Services Unit at 517-256-6229.
“We just don’t have the capability to bring in tons of clothes and all the other things that people would like to donate. And right now, none of them really have anywhere to put it,” said Lowe.
