The Observation Deck

This evening around 5:30pm a new construction project just into Rocky River caught on fire. Quickly it went from smoke to flames to true terror.




This was about 15 minutes into the fire.

At the 30 minute mark there was a large explosion sending a box flying into the air, and burning material across Hillard, across I-90 where it promptly sent the exit ramp to Detroit on fire!


Which prompted fire and police to shut down I-90, and Metro Parks.


At the 45 minute mark the final wall fell in. You could still here pops of nail guns going off. And what appeared to be a gas line blowing out.

More to follow, we have a bunch of videos and photos sent in. Check back!

.

We have a bunch of videos that were sent in, and we are working on getting them in order.

Here are some photos from the Shields family.


It seems the first report of the fire was on the weather reports!


From Julia and Laura Shields


Down in the Emerald Canyon, From Julia and Laura Shields

Some more of my images...


When I first noticed the smoke.


By the time I got on the road.


4 minutes later.


Shortly before the building exploded sending flames onto I-90 eventually catching it on fire.






From the bridge. The woman walking towards me owns the home next door to the building. Fire Departments were working to save her house.


After the explosion the hillside 100 yards away on I-90 was ablaze.


Police eventually closed down I-90 both directions.




It started to burn itself out.




3 hour later the fire was still smoking.

To see all the photos go to: http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/ ... river-fire

Videos in the morning!

.

Keep the photos and videos coming in!

The wind blew the smoke north towards the lake and it literally followed West Clifton Blvd to the lake.

We were out watching it and debris was raining down on us. This morning, my front and back yard are dotted with burnt pieces of some sort of wood and insulation. I still detect that smoke smell.

Meanwhile, the fire scene this morning in first light.


Fire fighters examine the wreckage in the morning.


I cannot believe that tank did not blow up!\


The pole on the other side of Hillard!


All the trees are chard, even the wall has been burnt!


The woman pictured earlier will see her home safe. It was right next door.


The other neighbors were not so lucky.






You can see the ashes still smoldering by the left elevator.



Wow, that was amazing. Good work Fire and Police in all communities that responded.

.

Videos from Julia and Laura Shields, Danielle Natasha Sutcliffe, and the Lakewood Observer edited together.

Some amazing images!

.

A block from the fire, this tree caught on fire.




A shot of the damage on I-90, with all of the Fire Fighters tied up we are lucky it did not spread to more homes, or into the Emerald Canyon!

.

I drove by that house this morning. On those streets, you could smell the the remaining smoke

This incident begs the question- why was a luxury condo building built with timber construction materials/methods. Aren’t higher end buildings typically concrete block and steel with brick cladding?

Does Lakewood require certain materials be used in new multifamily housing?

I could only imagine the destruction if the proposed developments on both sides of Detroit by Barry Buick ever caught fire. Surrounded by so many old timber homes, which can rapidly ignite from sparks, you could have one heck of a mess.

Zillow still has a 3 bedroom listed for $550K by Howard Hanna.

I'd be interested just because of the elevator shafts!

Bridget Conant wrote:This incident begs the question- why was a luxury condo building built with timber construction materials/methods. Aren’t higher end buildings typically concrete block and steel with brick cladding?

Does Lakewood require certain materials be used in new multifamily housing?

I could only imagine the destruction if the proposed developments on both sides of Detroit by Barry Buick ever caught fire. Surrounded by so many old timber homes, which can rapidly ignite from sparks, you could have one heck of a mess.

Bridget

I got a call from Bill Mager and we compared notes on this one. It would seem that the building trades favor wood structures for under 4 stories living quarters. One of the last things done are drywall, and sprinklers. So until these buildings are finished, they are just a big pile of wood. Kind of wild to figure out.

The thing that still blows me away is that it went from smoke to full blaze in 10 minutes top. I have to think relying on sprinklers, would not make me feel much safer.

Fire in the basement, person on 4th floor, would not be a pretty sight.

.

Bridget Conant wrote:This incident begs the question- why was a luxury condo building built with timber construction materials/methods. Aren’t higher end buildings typically concrete block and steel with brick cladding?

Does Lakewood require certain materials be used in new multifamily housing?

I could only imagine the destruction if the proposed developments on both sides of Detroit by Barry Buick ever caught fire. Surrounded by so many old timber homes, which can rapidly ignite from sparks, you could have one heck of a mess.

I was wondering about this as well. The apartment building in Lakewood where my daughter used to live in was built in the 60s and was solid, with concrete floors and firewalls between units. All the multifamily units I have lived in in Lakewood were solid structures. I agree, having a bunch of tinder boxes under construction in Lakewood sounds terrifying.

BTW, has any cause of the fire been determined for the house on Spring Garden? Nothings seems to have been done to it.

Kate McCarthy wrote: BTW, has any cause of the fire been determined for the house on Spring Garden? Nothings seems to have been done to it.

Kate I was told fire originated at the hot water tank which had just been installed.

Traveled up a beam, spread across the basement ceiling, then started between the walls.

This is why, smoke seen out of the roof first, and why it went up when walls were opened.

,

Of note, I sent a message to Tristan Rader referencing the condo fire and questioning what Lakewood could do to prevent the same situation.

He responded in minutes and informed me that he was also interested in answers and had reached out to both the Fire Chief and the Building Department.