Fire ravages Three Oaks apartment building: No injuries reported | News

THREE OAKS – No injuries were reported in an early morning fire that caused the evacuation of a 16-unit, two-story apartment building in Three Oaks on Saturday, Aug. 19.

Fire Chief David Flick said the alarm of a structure fired came in at 5:40 a.m. and the middle section of the roof was engulfed in flames when crews arrived at the Hidden Harbor Villas (formerly Oak Tree Apartments) at 305 W. Locust St. The fire took about three hours to bring under control and wasn’t totally cleared until approximately 2 p.m.

Peter Trigg said he came home from work at about 5:40 a.m. and immediately smelled burning plastic and heard popping sounds, went around to the back of the building and noticed that a second-floor unit’s deck was on fire.

“I ran in, pulled the fire alarm as quick as I could, ran up the stairs and got my family out,” he said.

Trigg noted that his his wife and 1-year-old baby along with most of the unit’s other residents were asleep at the time.

“My wife was just getting out of the bed as I burst through the door,” he said.

Trigg said he and several other residents of the building including Ronny Wolnik

then went up and down the halls banging on doors to make sure everyone got out.

“It went up pretty quick,” he noted, adding that the second time he entered the building (5 to 10 minutes after pulling the alarm) about three feet of thick, black smoke had accumulated.

Wolnik said the fire started above his first-floor apartment, noting that one of his two dogs, “Delgado,” started barking at about the same time Trigg pulled the fire alarm. After his family and the dogs had gotten out, he started helping make sure everyone was out of harm’s way.

Wolnik said flames looked to be rising as high as 40 feet when the fire was raging.

Flick said 14 of the 16-units in the two-story building (one of three at the complex) were occupied at the tome of the fire, and residents were assisted in finding housing and supplies with the help of the American Red Cross. Trigg said the Red Cross supplied his family with a debit card to help with immediate expenses in the wake of the fire.

Flick said after toxic gases were cleared from the site, firefighters and residents were able to retrieve some personal items.

A group of people were on the complex grounds sorting and bagging up items pulled from the burned-out building on Saturday afternoon. And while Wolnik was thankful to the local fire department for helping to get some of their belongings out of the apartment, he said what really mattered was that everyone got out OK.

“You can replace those things, You just can’t replace human beings,” he said.

Village President Dave Grosse said those wishing to donate clothing, toiletries, or other household items for fire victims can drop them off at Three Oaks Laundromat and Video while non-perishable food items or money can be taken to the Harbor Country Emergency Food Pantry.

“As a community, we look after one another. Three Oaks Laundromat and Video has done amazing this weekend by beginning to collect and organize items to assist these families and with the help of Exit 4 Storage, larger donations can now be accepted,” he said.

Flick said on Monday, Aug. 21, that the community has really come together to help those affected by the fire.

“Since Saturday there has been a pouring in of furniture and clothing … the management company that owns the building has been refunding not only their deposits, but also a little bit more money, which I think is fantastic,” he said.

Flick said a few vacant units in the complex’s other buildings are being readied for occupancy.

He said New Buffalo City responded to the blaze with its aerial truck, which was a big help. Other departments assisting included New Buffalo, Chikaming, Galien and Weesaw Townships.  Three Oaks Ambulance and American Red Cross were also at the scene and the Berrien County Sheriff and Pokagon Tribal Police helped with crowd control.

Flick said the fire will be investigated by the Michigan State Police State Fire Marshall. He said OEC Management Company, owners of the building, were cooperating and already on site Saturday to board up the evacuated units.

As of  Aug. 21, those on the scene said the blaze appeared to have started outside of a vacant unit and “nothing suspicious” had been detected.