GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The investigation continues following a fire that broke out on the city's south side Monday.
The fire appeared to have started near the back porch of the building on Dawes Avenue south of 28th Street, according to Captain David Marchinda with the Grand Rapids Fire Department.
"It appears to be unintentional, however a final determination for cause is underway," said Fire Marshal Bill Smith.
Nearly 20 firefighters and eight trucks worked to help put the fire out at the multi-home building.
"We were stunned, how fast it just moved across the back of the building, and you could see that the lawn on the back was on fire, and going up on the hill was on fire too," nearby neighbor Joni Jessup said. "It was almost instantaneous. It was unbelievable. It wasn't even five minutes."
Jessup told FOX17 that one of the families in the affected condos did end up losing a pet bunny.
Marchinda added it took crews 40 minutes to get the fire under control.
"There normally is a firewall. But with these new builds, it's really lightweight construction, so it's not uncommon for them to spread quite rapidly."
This isn't the first time a multi-family home in the same neighborhood caught on fire.
In June 2024, crews responded to a fire where multiple homes were impacted.
Investigators determined that a faulty generator placed very close to the home sparked last year's fire.
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