Fire damages Timber Top apartments in Akron

Leona GilbertFebruary 16, 2023

The Akron Fire Department was fighting a major fire on Wednesday evening at the Timber Top residential complex. The flames engulfed the apartment building, evicting tenants from 19 of the 26 apartments. There were no reports of injury, but at least three pet cats have died.

The apartment building suffered extensive damage from flames, smoke and continuous water pumping into the building.

It took at least two hours before the firemen determined that everyone was safe. As of 6:30 p.m., firefighters are still fighting fires, according to Fire Lieutenant Tim Morrison. The fire broke out in an apartment on the second floor.

Eleven Akron fire departments and one Cuyahoga Falls fire department arrived on the scene. They were called to Treetop Trail at 4:21 pm.

Division 24 is on the north corner of Treetop Trail and Amber Hills Drive. Thick smoke continued to rise into the sky and cover the lowlands. Two ladder trucks attacked the fire from both sides of the block, in front of numerous residents.

Timber Top residents heard an explosion

Residents reported hearing a loud noise, which some described as an explosion before a fire.

“First I hear an explosion, quite a big one, and I went out to the balcony and looked down to see what was going on,” said Joshua Robertson, who lives in one of the apartments with his girlfriend. “Eventually I saw some smoke and didn’t think anything about it.”

He walked around the building and then saw the fire “going down” and ran back upstairs to get his girlfriend out, knocking on several doors along the way. Unfortunately, the couple was unable to save their three cats.

Fire risk:On Wednesday, a new record was reached in Greater Akron due to fire risk and gusty winds.

Resident Jack Rome said he was playing video games in his apartment when he heard a “loud bang”.

He called the fire department “almost immediately”.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland warned of an increased risk of wildfires due to strong winds combined with low humidity.

Mortality from carbon monoxide in October

In October, a woman in another building in the complex died due to carbon monoxide poisoning, prompting Akron to require the owners of any building with fuel appliances or attached garages in Akron to install carbon monoxide detectors.

As a result of the carbon monoxide incident, at least seven people, including two infants, were hospitalized. A 66-year-old female mentor who visited the complex was found dead in the bathroom.

AIY Properties, which owns Timber Top, has issued more eviction notices in recent years than any other landlord in Akron, the Beacon Journal reported in December.