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Posted on Fri, May 11, 2012 : 9:40 p.m.

Ann Arbor firefighters douse attic fire

By Julie Baker

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A resident speaks with Ann Arbor Fire Department Battalion Chief Robert Vogel as firefighters work to extinguish a fire at her home in the 500 block of Madison on Friday afternoon.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

Ann Arbor firefighters extinguished a fire originating in the attic of a three-story home Friday evening on West Madison Street.

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Ann Arbor firefighters work to extinguish a house fire in the 500 block of Madison on Friday afternoon.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

Firefighters were dispatched at 6:30 p.m. to a call for an attic fire at 514 Madison. Firefighters found flames on the second and third stories of the home, Battalion Chief Robert Vogel said in a news release.

The occupants were all able to escape, and the fire was quickly contained to the second and third floors and put out. The second and third floors suffered heavy fire damage, while the first floor and basement suffered water and smoke damage.

The American Red Cross was assisting the residents with finding temporary shelter. The occupants lost most of their belongings in the fire.

Firefighters remained on scene until after 8:30 p.m.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. An estimate of the damage is not known at this time. It was not immediately clear how many residents were displaced by the fire.

The fire department provided the movie below.

Contact Julie Baker at juliebaker@annarbor.com or 734-623-2576. Follow her on Twitter @juliebakera2.

Comments

kef

Sun, May 13, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.

Why were there two Mi State Police SUV's at this house the next day?

Perry White

Tue, May 15, 2012 : 2:11 p.m.

That seems worthy of followup by annarbor.com.

Wystan Stevens

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 7:06 p.m.

Thirty years ago, I conducted a tour of historic Ann Arbor architecture for a busload of Japanese visitors to the U of M and Ann Arbor. The bus paused in front of this picturesque house with the mansard roof while I explained, tongue-in-cheek, that it was a specimen of "pagoda style" architecture, rare in Ann Arbor. The Japanese laughed politely, but they obviously weren't going to buy my story. So we continued on, to our scheduled picnic luncheon in a professor's West Side back yard, where of course everyone in the group immediately whipped out their cameras and began taking pictures of everyone else. (One of the polite young gentlemen, eyeing my Yorkshire-born wife, loudly asked, "Do all English women have such big feet?)

mixmaster

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 1:40 p.m.

Is it too much to ask that when a reporter writes a story that they know that there are streets with east/west and north/south designations and when the apply the correct designation? If annarbordotcom higher ups and "editors" want to be a local news outlet they should either hire people who have some knowledge of the city, know that there are E, W, N, and S streets, know the difference between the numbered avenues and numbered streets or PROOFREAD their copy before posting. If you're going to correct the address once why not correct every reference to it in the story? It's sloppy writing, lazy reporting and happens too often on this site.

Ann English

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 11:52 p.m.

The map supplied for this story is interesting; I knew we had a Fourth Street and a Fifth Street, but didn't realize that they go north and south, just like Fourth and Fifth Avenues do. That Second Street must have been named subsequent to a Second Street EAST of First Street being renamed Ashley Street.

mixmaster

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 6:46 p.m.

Unfortunately it's about all we have here in A2. The problem is that many of the reporters don't know the city or, it seems, care to learn. I mean these people are getting paid something. It may be peanuts, but wouldn't you think that excellence and accuracy is preferred over mediocrity and lack of simple, yet important detail? I expect before too long that we'll be seeing contractions and the single letter substitutions people use when texting. It's dumbing everyone down to a 3rd grade level. welcum 2 a nu wrld.

tomnspats

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 2:55 p.m.

This is not a newspaper. There are a limited number of reporters covering all of the incidents/events that occur in the city. The pertinent information was covered. Perhaps you should expand your nitpicking to larger periodicals where it could be almost limitless.

mixmaster

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 1:21 p.m.

This is not the first fire at that address. There have been two fires in the detached garage/shop in the last 20 years.

Carole

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 12:22 p.m.

Kudos to the AAFD - great job and wishing you all well and be safe.

Linda Peck

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 5:52 a.m.

Thank you firefighters! I am happy all are safe!

AACity12

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 2:40 a.m.

Sure does look like they could use a ladder truck.

Peter Konigsberg

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 11:40 a.m.

I wish the city would get it priorities right.

ranger007

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 4:27 a.m.

No joke

mixmaster

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 2:34 a.m.

I know where that house is but please clarify for the less enlightened, is that East or West Madison?

Julie Baker

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 4:06 a.m.

Thanks, we've clarified that it was West Madison.

mixmaster

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 2:41 a.m.

The reporter should clarify for the sake of accuracy.

DNB

Sat, May 12, 2012 : 2:38 a.m.

It was W. Madison. In between S. 7th and S. Main Street. They had the whole block blocked off to traffic.