30 families impacted by 2-alarm Southfield apartment fire - Story

SOUTHFIELD, MIch. (WJBK) - Fire rips through a Southfield apartment complex destroying a dozen units and sending families scrambling for a place to stay.

It happened at the Carnegie Park Apartments on Eleven Mile.

Everyone is safe and there are no reported injuries. The fire started just before noon, and smoke continues to rise from hotspots as firefighters continue working into the night.

Smoke could be seen for miles as it tore through 18 units at the Carnegie Park Luxury Apartments on Eleven Mile.

"The firemen started knocking on doors, telling people they should start evacuating," said Ebube Nnodim, a displaced resident.

Calling it a defensive fire, Southfield firefighters quickly called in backup.

"About 2-3 minutes in, the second floor gave way," said Fire Chief Johnny Menifee. "We have now also lost the third floor, that happened probably about four minutes into that."

Investigators still don't know what sparked the fire that has now destroyed 18 units. Many others have smoke damage. About 30 families total, displaced for the night.

"Probably I just got smoke damage, we're not for sure," said Latrisha Byrd. "They say we can't go in for 24 hours."

More than 50 firefighters came in to help from Farmington Hills, Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, Royal Oak, Novi, and Waterford. Several helped revue a man stranded on a third floor balcony. One dog was killed, and several others pets have smoke inhalation.

"I'm numb and my dog keeps going through a coughing thing because she did get smoke inhalation," said Darlene Williams, a displaced resident. "And I'm probably going to have to take her to the vet."

Red Cross was also at the scene, helping people work with their insurance and find hotels for the night, meanwhile fire fighters continue braving frigid temperatures, with Salvation Army on hand keeping them warm.

"As they're out here its cold, it's windy, it's not very pleasant," said Chuck McDougall, Salvation Army Disaster Services. "So we've got hot pizza in here, hot coffee and hot chocolate."

An investigator will be out here in the morning to check on each unit and on a case by case basis let these families know where they stand. Some of these families may be able to return by tomorrow.

As of late Friday night, those firefighters still at it and they expect to be out here probably through the morning.

An investigator will be out here in the morning to check on each unit and on a case by case basis let these families know where they stand. Some of these families may be able to return by tomorrow.