Possessions destroyed, but he feels lucky to be alive
NEAR KENTWOOD, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - About a dozen people are without homes Wednesday after a freakish fire tore through their condo complex Tuesday night.
Of all things, a car caught fire and exploded at a condo complex near Kentwood, sending flames high into the sky and into the building, forcing residents out into the cold.
They're left now to try and put the pieces of the Christmas holiday back together, no easy task.
The fire was especially devastating for two families, who watched as everything they'd built be destroyed. Two condos have been reduced to burned out shells at the Forest Hill condominium complex close to 28th Street in Cascade Township.
On Wednesday, one of the victims, trying to hold back tears, said that, strangely enough, what happened Tuesday night ended up being a blessing.
"My daughter was saying 'run like the wind daddy,' and I said 'I am baby,'" said Ivan Wheland, recounting the moments after he got his wife, five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter out of a burning condo and he had one chance to go back inside to get valuables.
"My mind was racing, I was trying to stay as calm as possible, but then I heard the car explode and parts of walls, my ceiling, started coming down," Wheland said, "so I jumped over the stuff and came out of the house."
Wheland stood outside on the street, next to neighbor Stephan Davis, watching everything he owned burn, watched as firefighters unsuccessfully tried to save it.
The fire started just before 9:00 pm at the complex, Newschannel 3 has been told that a vehicle in the garage caught fire and exploded into flames, which lit up the entire building.
Two garages caught fire, and the flames quickly spread to the condos, destroying one of them and heavily damaging Wheland's condo next door.
The neighbors pulled together, some bringing gifts to give to Wheland's two children.
"My heart aches for them," said Lynda Davis, "I think of all the sentimental value in their home, if nothing else, they've lost, and the emotional upset for the children."
"Being Christmas, everything for the kids," said Stephan Davis, "that's such an important thing for little kids, it's just awful for them."
Wheland said his Christmas tree was destroyed, and all the gifts burned up too, yet he says there's hope in the terrible episode, because his family is alive.
"Christmas is special," Wheland said, "and I told my wife last night it's probably going to be the best Christmas ever, just because of how lucky I am."
The two families burned out of the complex are staying with friends and family for the moment, the Red Cross is also helping out during this difficult time.
