High winds and low water pressure hampered the efforts of firefighters trying to contain a blaze that destroyed a two-story office complex in Southfield.
There were no injuries. But workers in the complex at 16310 Twelve Mile Road, midway between Southfield and Greenfield roads, were evacuated and traffic in the area was disrupted after the fire broke out about 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.
When they arrived, firefighters found smoke coming from the eaves and roof area of the building and a haze in the stairwells and lobby area, said Fire Marshal James Dundas. When they tried to go into the roof area, he said, flames flared up and firefighters were forced to pull back and fight the blaze from the outside.
Steady westerly winds were estimated at 13 mph, according to the U.S. Weather Bureau, with gusts over 20 mph.
Those winds fanned the blaze and sent dark, dense smoke into the skies over the Greenfield Road area and into the nearby neighborhood.
Six trucks and four EMS units from Southfield and one ladder truck from Royal Oak, with a total of 40 firefighters were on the scene.
The cause of the blaze has not been determined, the fire marshal said Wednesday.
Low water pressure in the area made it difficult for firefighters to get enough water on the fire, Dundas said. They were able to counter that problem by running hoses to several hydrants in the area, he said.
When asked about the water pressure Wednesday, the director of the Southfield Public Works Department said that area of the city has old sewer lines that are being replaced or upgraded. But many of the existing water lines are old and incapable of handling more pressure, said Gary Mekjian.
