Cascade condo fire displaces 7

CASCADE TWP., Mich. (WOOD) - Seven people lost their homes when fire broke out in a Cascade Township condominium Tuesday evening.

The fire started around 9 p.m. at the Forest Hills Condominiums in the 6000 block of Acropolis Drive SE (south of 28th Street, east of I-96.)

Investigators with the Cascade Township Fire Department said the fire began in the carport. They say an investigation is ongoing, and won't comment if the fire started near a car, or was caused by one of the cars.

The blaze forced the evacuation of people living in six units. Two of those six units were destroyed, according to the Red Cross. Another was severely damaged and the other three were unscathed.

Resident Ivan Wheland said he smelled smoke and heard the explosion, but his focus was on getting his family out of the building.

"Ran in, grabbed my kids, got jackets on them, hustled them to a neighbors, then I came back in and just thinking if there was anything to recover," he said. "My mind was racing. I was trying to stay as calm as possible but then I heard the car explode, and parts of my walls were blown off and then the ceiling started coming down."

The Red Cross continues to help those affected.

24 Hour News 8 will have more information as it develops.