Lapeer Fire Department officials are investigating what caused a fire that destroyed buildings more than 100 years old in its historic downtown district Tuesday evening.
SLIDESHOW: Fire Damages Historic Buildings In Downtown Lapeer
The fire’s cause has not yet been determined, according to Lapeer Fire Chief Terry Kluge, however, residents in Lapeer are speculating that the fire was set after a domestic dispute.
Kluge estimated the damage caused by the fire, on West Nepessing Street in the north part of downtown, to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. He said fire in buildings located in such close proximity can spread.
Eight fire departments, including Oxford, Davison and Imlay City, responded to the blaze which began in the apartments over Lost Treasures Home Decor. At least nine apartments were impacted with eight people displaced, according to Kluge. The PIX movie theater, located south of the apartments, had slight damage, and should reopen, said Kluge.
Oxford Fire Chief Peter Scholz said his department provided mutual aid at the fire, sending out a crew of six.
“They were there until 11:30 p.m. (Tuesday),” said Scholz. “It’s the first time we’ve ever gone to Lapeer City.”
Kluge said a new radio system used by the firefighters helped them.
Burke’s Flowers and Lost Treasures had significant smoke and water damage.
Cathy Benton has operated Burke’s Flowers in downtown Lapeer for 33 years. Her business is directly east of the apartment building where the fire began on Tuesday night.
Benton said she was at a meeting at the PIX Theater when the fire started.
‘The firemen did save (our) building,’ Benton said. ‘There for a while, we thought it was going to take our building, too, but it didn’t.’
The flower shop has significant water damage, and two upstairs apartments are ruined with water damage and smoke, Benton said. The fire did reach her building’s roof. She has insurance.
‘We hope to get back up and running. I don’t know how long it will take.’
The Lapeer community has been reaching out with support, and the flower shop’s employees were at the site Wednesday helping in the cleanup, Benton said.
“My employees are wonderful and are here right now helping us.”
Kluge said Michigan State Police are assisting with the investigation. Flint’s Red Cross came to the aid of the displaced apartment residents, he said.
During the fire, the roof caved in on the apartments.
‘We were concerned about hot spots, but we’ve had nothing since 2 a.m. (Wednesday),’ said Kluge.
Oxford Township resident Michael Stoll was going to his dad’s house in Lapeer when he saw the fire.
‘The fire was intense. There were about 250 people downtown. … We were there two hours,’ said Stoll. ‘It was the biggest fire we had ever seen. I’m glad no one got hurt.’
Sherry Lazdinsh recently moved from Troy to Lapeer. She was driving her daughter to Dance Street Studio, about one block away from the apartment complex, when she saw the smoke. She said Nepessing Street was blocked off at the time.
‘I was very sad and devastated. We just moved here, and I would walk downtown with my children. The PIX theater was a beautiful and friendly place to visit,’ said Lazdinsh. ‘I feel bad for the families who were displaced.’
Kluge noted that many people are speculating about the fire’s cause around town.
One man, David Anderson, walked around the fire scene Wednesday, reminiscing with friend Carla Weston.
‘There’s all kind of chatter going on on Facebook,’ said Anderson. Weston agreed.
‘My niece heard it was a domestic (dispute) on a scanner,’ said Weston, whose family owned the damaged building until the mid-1990s. ‘I’m heartbroken. It’s a sad day.’
Kluge said this was the first downtown fire in his 18 years with the fire department. He recalled that, decades ago, there was a fire a block north of Nepessing Street.
Five aerial trucks ‘kept (this) fire under control.’
‘I’m very happy about that. I do feel for the businesses,’ Kluge said, ‘but the rest of the block (being saved) is definitely a win. It would have been much more tragic.’
