Several crews responded to a fire at a former adult foster care home in Muskegon Heights Monday evening.
The fire broke out around 5:30 p.m. and neighbors said tall flames and heavy smoke could be seen.
Firefighters attacked the fire defensively, and they say it will most likely be a total loss. There were no occupants in the building. At 9 p.m. there were still crews on the scene.
The house had no electricity, so there will be investigation to determine the cause of the fire.
"It can be repaired, looking at it you can tell that already," said James Duncan the owner of the building. "Didn't expect this to be going up in smoke."
The building—on the corner of E. Hackley Avenue and Howden Street—was condemned in December 2018. The city boarded it up because it had no electricity, putting its 15 occupants in the dark.
Duncan said the home was a refuge to hundreds people over the years who found themselves in the need of help and housing.