54 Apartments Destroyed

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - 54 apartments were destroyed by a four-alarm fire at Dover Hills Apartments Sunday morning.
Firefighters say a burning cigarette butt on a porch sparked the blaze.
The fire started in the 4400 block of Clayborne Drive in the Dover Hills complex in Kalamazoo.
The fire caused serious damage to the apartment complex and forced several residents from their apartments.
Flames broke out sometime after midnight Sunday morning, and quickly spread, forcing more than 50 apartment units to be evacuated.
The fire completely destroyed the third floor. The first and second floors were severely damaged by water.
Firefighters say the windy weather conditions added to the challenges in fighting this fire and caused the flames to spread quickly.
About 90 firefighters and 12 fire trucks responded to the large blaze, including units from Ostemo, Texas, and Kalamazoo Township fire departments. Comstock firefighters also helped back up stations during the blaze.
Residents are not being allowed back into the building but firefighters are helping some residents that lived in the first and second floors retrieve their belongings.
Everyone in the building was able to get out safely, however one Public Safety Officer sprained a knee during the fire.