Officials have released additional details about the fire that severely damaged the Holly Hotel.
According to Holly Police, the initial call to 911 came in at about 3:56 p.m. Tuesday about a fire with heavy smoke in the Downtown District near Junction St. Holly PD officers were on the scene at that time and also reporting flames visible from the south end of Arcade Antiques. Officers immediately began evacuating all businesses and residences in the immediate area and established a safety perimeter.
Holly Fire units arrived within three minutes of the first call and began fighting the fire. They contacted dispatch to request immediate assistance. 17 area fire departments responded to the scene and battled the fire to contain it from spreading to the entire Downtown.
Battle Alley Arcade Antiques was completely destroyed. Andy’s Place suffered major damage, as did the Holly Hotel. The Moose Lodge suffered heavy water damage and is closed until further notice. Fire investigators from the Oakland County Sheriff’s office and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm’s (ATF) began their investigation, that is currently underway.
In all, five firefighters were hospitalized and released for heat exhaustion, although there were no reported civilian injuries or casualties.
Fire department crews have repeatedly visited the area to extinguish hot spots and police say there are still areas of extreme danger in the impacted area. Structural engineers have assessed damaged buildings and will be providing a report on buildings that could pose a collapse risk. As a result, Broad Street will remain closed to vehicular traffic until Andy’s Place structure is determined safe, or must be partially or fully removed to avoid collapse into the public street or neighboring businesses.
The Village of Holly will be providing 3:00 pm updates, daily on its website; HollyVillage.org. DDA Director Nick Klempp is coordinating with state and county agencies to develop a donation account for those who wish to support displaced employees, tenants, and business owners.
