Residents remain displaced after apartment fire in downtown Cleveland


CLEVELAND - Authorities continue to investigate the cause of a fire that damaged 42 units and displaced 55 residents in an apartment building in downtown Cleveland on Saturday.

The fire began just before 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and authorities originally told Fox 8 that City Tap restaurant, located in the same building as the apartments, was on fire.

The fire actually began in the 8th floor penthouse apartment and spread to the roof.

The majority of damage to the other units is from water. The building did not have sprinklers.

"The place is just a mess. It smelled like -- burned... I don't know how else to describe it," resident Matt Hurm said. "I don't know how, but most of my possessions are fine. Somehow, maybe just luck and the grace of God. I don't know."

Hurm lives on the 7th floor, just below where the fire began.

"We had two inches of standing water on the ground. There's leaks all over the ceilings. It was not pretty. I'm going to have to move."

Residents were allowed back inside on Sunday to collect belongings and see their units.

Crews continue to clean up and investigators will continue to make sure the building is safe.

Authorities believe residents may be allowed back in their units on Thursday.

Google Map for coordinates 41.500410 by -81.671938.
