Storms & flash flooding in August
On August 23 and 24, severe thunderstorms produced very significant flooding totals and power outages, some not seen in over a decade. The worst areas effective were Wayne County’s west end (where neighboring Belleville recorded 7.36″ of rain in a six-hour span), which would close access to Metro Airport’s McNamara Terminal due to the closure of Dingell Drive, the main artery road to that terminal.
Shown above are flooding conditions on I-275 in the Romulus area during that time. The severe weather system spawned seven tornadoes state-wide, including one near Gibraltar. DTE Energy recorded over 50,000 power outages, while Consumers Energy listed 24,200 without power at its peak.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer would name Wayne County among six total counties declared in a State of Emergency, releasing extra funding and manpower to assist with the conditions. “Michiganders are tough,” Whitmer declared, “and we have each other’s backs.”
Fire tears through Meadows complex
On October 3, a two-alarm fire call was sent to the Meadows senior apartment building on Allen north of Pennsylvania Road in Southgate. The blaze, as shown to the left (courtesy FOX2 Detroit), engulfed much of the central portion of the complex and left 129 seniors homeless. To date, it was the largest fire ever seen in the city’s 65-year history.
Rescues of stranded residents were begun by police before fire crews arrived. The fire was thought to have been started on a second floor balcony by someone extinguishing a cigarette in a flower pot. The blaze quickly spread to the third floor and attic areas, which were not served by sprinklers.
Rescues were made more difficult by the elevators being out of service; residents had to be guided down the emergency stairs. A total of five people were injured, including three residents, one police officer and one firefighter, but the injuries were not deemed to be life-threatening. Displaced residents were transported to Southgate Veterans Memorial Library.
The combined amount of fire and water damage rendered the main structure as a total loss. It would ultimately be decided to raze all structures on the property from a safety standpoint. Three years later, the land would stand clear and was awaiting word on redevelopment.