LANSING, Mich. (March 7, 2025) — Following their third fire in four years during which residents could not hear the fire alarms, Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) is once again calling on the owners of Lafayette Towers to address the serious and ongoing public safety concerns raised by residents within their building.
After numerous residents of Lafayette Towers expressed their worries following another fire on Jan. 21, 2025, Sen. Chang’s office sent a letter to the owners of the Detroit-based apartment building one month ago. Her office has also attempted to contact their office by phone and email. Sen. Chang’s office has received no response. Residents raised several issues, ranging from the ineffective sound and timing of fire alarms to the inadequate response from management. The issues raised build on a series of complaints from residents in prior years and calls from Sen. Chang’s office to address them.
“Fully functional fire alarms and proper health and safety measures are not lofty asks — they are standard public safety features, ensuring people are protected when emergencies strike. I’m appalled that the residents of Lafayette Towers had to experience another alarming situation in a building that was, and continues to be, ill-equipped to support their safety,” said Sen. Chang. “I am greatly disturbed by these repeated safety failures and lack of accountability from building management. Once again, I am urging them to meet with me to discuss these concerns and the actions they plan to take to rebuild trust and ensure the safety of their residents.”
Sen. Chang is unwavering in her support of Lafayette Towers tenants in calling on the owners to
- Install a fire alarm system which can be heard by residents in every room of every unit on every floor;
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Install fire extinguishers in every unit; and
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Implement better emergency evacuation procedures.
Since the fire, residents have shared other problems with the building such as loss of heat and broken windows. Lafayette Towers has worked on these issues since they were brought to the office’s attention; however, the heating outages have been an intermittent problem.
A copy of the letter sent to the owners of Lafayette Towers in Detroit can be viewed here.