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Tuesday,June 1, 2004


in heartbreaking fashion. One-hundred-thirteen years of editorialfreedom Summer Weekly
www.michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan n Vol. CXIII, No. 144 ©2004 The Michigan Daily
Fires ignite Ann Arbor co-op, Nickels Arcade

Shortage
may have
caused
office fire
By Melissa Benton
and Ashley Dinges
Daily Staff Reporters
Seventeen firefighters arrived at
Nickels Arcade Sunday as the shop-
ping center filled with smoke. The
arcade was quickly evacuated, along
with nearby shops and restaurants,
including Bivouac and Ashley's
Restaurant and Pub.
The Ann Arbor Fire Department con-
firmed that a fire damaged an office
located on the upper level inside Nickels
Arcade on State Street at about two p.m.
Sunday afternoon.
AAFD Lt. Dan Stabley said units
were dispatched to the 300 block of
South State Street and were able to con-
tain the fire within 15 minutes.
"Ann Arbor city fire units responded
for a reported fire and we found it
appeared to be a room and contents fire
and it appeared to be contained in the
room," Stabley said.
Battalion Chief Fred Nimke said
the fire originated in suite 101 in the
upper level of Nickels Arcade.
Although the fire is under investiga-
tion by the Fire Prevention Bureau,
Nimke, who was at the scene, gave a
possible cause for the fire.
See ARCADE, Page 2

i

Blaze
reduces
co-o to
By Melissa Benton
Daily Staff Reporter
Sirens blared at 2 a.m. last Tuesday
morning as firefighters rushed to put out
a fire at 816 S. Forest Avenue. Although
they were able to prevent about
$500,000 in damage, the A.K. Stevens
Cooperative House was totaled, said Ann
Arbor Fire Department Battalion Chief
Chris Brenner.
AAFD was notified of the fire by a
911 call, and although they reacted
immediately, Brenner said the fire
moved quickly. "We were there within
three minutes, and the flames were
through the roof,"he said.
The fire penetrated the attic in a house
on the south side of the co-op, causing
about $70,000 in damages, Fire Mar-
shall Ron Heemstra said.
He added that severe heat cracked
windows in the neighboring Alpha Chi
Omega sorority house to the north and
damaged four vehicles.
The cause of the fire has been listed as
undetermined, said lead investigator
Gretchen Virlee. Investigators have
turned the site over to contractors that
were renovating the house, she added.
Due to the renovations, the house was
See CO-OP, Page 2

The Ann Arbor Fire Department rushes to the scene last week as a fire destroyed the A.K. Stevens Cooperative House on
South Forest Avenue. Despite their efforts, the AAFD was unable to save it.