OKEMOS, Mich. — A person was found dead on Thursday during further recovery efforts at the Knob Hill Apartment complex after yesterday's fire. That person has not been identified.
Meanwhile, the community is working in overtime to help families that had to evacuate; many leaving with just the clothes on their backs.
“I think when you see something like this happen, like on the news, you are like, it's just different when you see it,” said Okemos Holiday Inn Express General Manager Taylor Brehm.
Many people are left wondering what's next, but for right now, it's one day at a time.
“We have probably about 36 families that are displaced out of the 228 apartments that we have on site," said DTN Management Marketing Director Denise Todd. "We're doing everything we can to make sure that they've got a warm bed for the evening.”
DTN Management made sure displaced families had rooms at the Holiday Inn as they work to find new housing for families.
“We've got our DTN team showing what available apartments we have and what insurance they might have tried to help them through that process," Todd said.
And Taylor Brehm and her family who own the hotel didn't hesitate to step in.
“I grew up here," Brehm said. "This is my community, and I feel for everyone this has affected and I mean, it's the right thing to do.”
Stepping in to help in more ways than one.
“Like, one or two o'clock, maybe we had people already starting to say what can we do? How can we help? What can we drop off? What do you need,” Brehm said.
Community members started flooding the hotel lobby with food, clothes, personal hygiene products, toys and so much more.
“There's volunteers everywhere that are allocating and putting things in bins based on the sizes and what's needed and trying to get with the families to figure out what they need, because some of them just started trying to process everything,” Brehm said.
And the donations aren't just for people staying at the hotel.
“We want to make sure that word is getting out that we have all of these donations and if anybody affected by the fires, needs something, they can definitely come to the hotel and let somebody here know what they need," Brehm said.
While they expected the help, Todd said she wasn't expecting this much support.
“I'm new to Michigan, so six months in, and I am just so grateful for the people that are here and that are donating and that are helping,” Todd said.
And providing some of what these people need for now, is the least they could do.
"I think just everybody wanted to do something to help, you know, and it just I was blown away by what this community did," Brehm said.
Brehm said they have so many items they aren't taking any more donations right now, but here are other ways you can help:
- Meridian Cares: monetary donations. Please include for Knob Hill Apartment fire families in description
- Personal GoFund Me pages: Andrea and Shaun
- Hiawatha GoFund Me: Families at Hiawatha in the Okemos School District
- Okemos families monetary donation: Venmo @Rebecca-Fedrigo School Counselor from Chippewa Middle School. Please include in the note "OPS Donation"
- Sleep in Heavenly Peace: provides fully furnished beds for kids
- Free child and adolescent counseling: Samantha at Great Lakes Psychology Group
- Personal Venmo for families: Okemos High School teachers Ms. Becker & Senorita Funk (@trishafunk)
- Searching for missing pets: Efforts lead by Saved by Zade. Anyone with information about missing pets or possible pet sights can text (269)888-3286
- Santa's helpers making sure all kids get a Christmas
Meridian Township Fire Chief Mike Hamel told FOX 47 the fire started in a couch, but the investigation is still ongoing to determine what caused the fire.
A second fire broke out Thursday in a second building that was damaged from yesterday's fire. Residents were evacuated.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact the Meridian Township Fire Department at 517-853-4716, the Meridian Township Police Department at 517-853-4800, or submit an anonymous tip through the Department’s social media sites.
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
