Police ID man who died during Knob Hill Apartments fire, community raises over $110K to help tenants

OKEMOS − Meridian Township police have identified the man who died during the Knob Hill Apartments fire as 52-year-old Raymond Naseef of Okemos.

Naseef's body was found during recovery efforts in one of the buildings that caught fire Wednesday on Knob Hill Drive, according to a Meridian Township police press release.

Investigators are working to determine both where the fire originated and the cause, according to the release.

Meridian Township Fire Chief Mike Hamel said previously Naseef's body was found in a stairwell Wednesday night while crews were tearing down the remnants of the building where the fire started.

Police were dispatched to 2300 Knob Hill Drive to assist Meridian Township Fire Department with the fire shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday. Upon arrival the building was engulfed in flames, police said.

Police said officers worked with firefighters to notify residents and assist them with evacuating the building. A second attached building at 2314 Knob Hill Drive also caught fire and residents were evacuated. Both structures suffered significant damage, according to the release.

Naseef was one of three people unaccounted for on Wednesday. The other two people were determined to be out of the country, Hamel previously said.

The community has rallied to support those who lost their homes to the fire. Since the fire, the township’s Meridian Cares Fund has received over $110,000 in cash donations, according to a Meridian Township press release.

Officials plan to release the funds equally to impacted tenants from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday at Meridian Township Hall at 5151 Marsh Road. Residents should bring whatever personal identification they have, according to a statement Meridian Township Manager Frank Walsh posted on social media.

"I can assure you that 100% of the funds will be provided to the tenants affected by the fatal fire,” Walsh said.

A Knob Hill free store has been set up at Faith Lutheran Church, 4515 Dobie Road in Okemos. The store opened Tuesday and will run for several weeks, according to a township press release.

The pickup times are 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, but other times are available by appointment. Residents can contact Katie Love at klove@faithlutheranokemos.org or text 517-490-8388 to schedule a time.

Items available include coats in all sizes, gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, kitchen supplies, coffee makers, pet supplies, linens, blankets, men's clothing, women's clothing, children's clothing, children's toys, toiletries, undergarments and socks.

If the store does not have the items residents need, organizers will do their best to obtain those items, the release states.

Individuals can help those displaced by the fire by donating to Meridian Cares at www.meridian.mi.us/.../get-involved/meridian-cares and including a note the donation is for Knob Hill Apartments.

Anyone with information about the fire can contact Meridian Township Fire Department at 517-853-4716, Meridian Township Police Department at 517-853-4800, or can submit an anonymous tip through the department’s social media sites.

Contact Bryce Airgood at 517-267-0448 or bairgood@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @bairgood123.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Police identify man killed during Okemos Knob Hill Apartments fire