ESCANABA, MI— Officials have released the cause of a fire that evacuated residents of Escanaba’s Harbor Tower last week.
The Escanaba Department of Public Safety responded to the building March 2 for a smoke alarm activation. Officers quickly located the source of the fire inside a residential unit and extinguished it.
A firefighter sustained injuries while operating at the scene and made a full recovery. The occupant of the apartment was initially taken to St. Francis Hospital, then transferred to a burn trauma unit in Milwaukee. They remain in critical but stable condition.
Investigators believe the fire likely started in a lounge chair in the living room. Evidence suggests the ignition source may have been a lit cigarette or smoking device held by the occupant while in the chair.
The Escanaba Department of Public Safety reminds residents to practice fire safety and properly dispose of smoking materials.
