KENTWOOD, Mich. — A Kentwood senior living center is closing after a fire heavily damaged one of the buildings on its campus, the center announced Wednesday.
A fire broke out in the attic of the memory care building at American House Kentwood around 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 15 while a third-party HVAC company was doing maintenance work.
Kentwood Deputy Fire Chief Mike Hipp said 12 residents had to be evacuated from the facility as large flames poured from the attic area.
The Kentwood Fire Department said everyone inside American House Kentwood at the time of the fire made it out safely.
The senior living community offers assisted living, memory care and hospice care for seniors.
The center said all residents were relocated to surrounding American House communities or were being cared for in the unaffected building on the Kentwood campus.
"We are deeply committed to ensuring the best possible outcome for our residents and team members during this challenging time," said American House President, Jeff Floyd. "Our leadership team arrived onsite immediately to provide support and assurance to our team members, residents and families, and our onsite teams have worked diligently to ensure the comfort, safety and well-being of all our residents."
American House Kentwood said a third-party restoration company currently secures the damaged buildings, which are being evaluated by insurance partners and engineers.
The center said decisions regarding what caused the fire and ultimate responsibility haven't been determined yet.
The larger building was heavily damaged and the demolition and reconstruction processes are anticipated to be disruptive. Due to this, American House Kentwood decided to close the remaining assisted living building.
The center said the decision was made in consultation with the residents, their families and team members.
"We understand the impact this decision may have on our residents and team members, and we are committed to working closely with them throughout the transition," said Floyd. "Most residents have expressed their desire to remain with American House and will be relocated to our neighboring communities. For those exploring other options, we are providing assistance and support."
The center thanked the Red Cross, Salvation Army and American House team for their dedication to the safety of the residents.