Overview
- The Ann Arbor Fire Department on Tuesday confirmed that Kevin Chatman, 68, died from burn injuries sustained in a weekend apartment fire.
- Crews were dispatched late Saturday morning to the West Arbor Apartments in the 700 block of North Maple Road, where the building’s sprinkler system contained the blaze before firefighters arrived.
- Investigators concluded the fire started at a chair in which Chatman had been seated.
- Officials say the cause remains undetermined, citing either a chair malfunction or unintentional human intervention, possibly smoking-related.
- A visiting bystander rescued Chatman and will be formally recognized by the department, which noted this is Ann Arbor’s first fire-related fatality since Jan. 8, 2024.