The broken window of a second story apartment where a fire broke out at the end of last month is shown. The Escanaba Public Safety Director said he believes firefighters broke the Harbor Tower window to allow smoke out while they were searching for the occupant. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

ESCANABA — The Escanaba Public Safety Department announced this week that the most likely cause of the recent fire at Harbor Tower was an “ignited cigarette or smoking device” with the source originating in a lounge chair.

Early in the morning on Saturday, Feb. 28, smoke alarm activation called Public Safety responders to Harbor Tower, a subsidized high-rise residential building managed by the Escanaba Housing Commission and located at 110 S. Fifth St.

The smell of smoke accompanied a fire in a second-story room, which officers “quickly located,” according to a press release issued later that day. Responders began to ask people residing on the first, second and third floors to exit the building as a precaution.

“During the initial fire attack and arrival of first responders, it is a priority to simultaneously evacuate occupants who are on the fire floor, on the floor directly above the fire floor and the floor directly below the fire floor,” said Escanaba Public Safety Director Darren Smith. In such a situation, “phased evacuation will continue as needed working to the higher floors until it is determined that the fire is extinguished and smoke is removed,” Smith explained.

The fire was brought under control promptly, so residents on higher floors never had to end up leaving.

“At the point when it was known that the fire no longer posed danger to residents, they were no longer required to evacuated unless other circumstances existed,” said Smith.

While damage was relatively minimal, two individuals sustained injuries. One Escanaba Public Safety officer who was hurt during the incident has already recovered. But the other person harmed, the civilian occupant of the apartment where the fire took off, was “initially transported to OSF Hospital and later transferred to a burn trauma unit in Milwaukee and remains in critical but stable condition,” stated the Public Safety Department in a press release issued Tuesday, March 10.

The quick containment of the fire may surprise some, particularly becuse of the town’s past losses to recent fires. The community was braced for the worst.

“Plans were made to open up a temporary shelter at the Escanaba Civic Center and to transport residents there using DATA transport units and/or Escanaba Area Public School busses. However, that facility was not needed, nor were the transport services as residents were able to remain in portions of the Harbor Tower facility during the incident,” wrote Delta County Emergency Management.

Although press releases both the morning of the fire and this Tuesday referred to residents being “temporarily diplaced due to smoke or water damage” and assisted by the Red Cross, that wording appears to be misleading. Aside from the single hospitalized person in whose home the fore started, no residents of Harbor Tower have been displaced, multiple sources confirm.

“We don’t have a count of how many folks left their apartments at the time, but the client reports that, other than the injured person, everyone was back in their apartments within 4-6 hours,” wrote Attorney Benjamin Parmet, speaking on behalf of the Escanaba Housing Commission.

“Everyone was able to return to their apartments by 11 a.m. that same morning,” said Jennifer Warren, American Red Cross regional communications director.

The day of the fire, no official cause was determined or announced. Ten days later, though, Public Safety released:

“Following the investigation, the source of ignition was determined to be accidental human (introduction). Investigators believe the fire likely originated in a lounge chair within the living room area. Evidence suggests the ignition source may have been an ignited cigarette or smoking device while the occupant was seated in the chair.”

At Harbor Tower and other U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) buildings, smoking is banned indoors. Harbor Tower’s current no-smoking policy was adopted in 2007 “to ensure the quality of air and the safety of residents,” the policy states. “Smoking is not permitted in any area of the building including the apartments. Smoking is only permitted in specifically designated areas, if any, outside the building.”

As smoking is considered a lease violation, an offending resident may be evicted.

“I’ve run several evictions for Harbor Tower with violation of the smoking policy being a basis for the eviction,” said Parmet.

Even where smoking is allowed — or where there is no rule, such as in a homeowner’s own residence — risks exist, and the Escanaba Public Safety Department “reminds residents to practice fire safety and properly dispose of smoking materials.”

Agencies responding to the February incident included Delta County Central Dispatch, Rampart EMS, the American Red Cross, Delta County Sheriff’s Office, Delta County Search and Rescue, RTF, DATA, Delta County Emergency Management, Ford River Fire Department, Escanaba Township Fire Department, Michigan State Police, the Escanaba Civic Center, the City of Escanaba Water and Electric Departments and DTE Energy.