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A fire that destroyed an apartment block in the US is being blamed on a resident trying to cook a squirrel with a propane torch.

Fire Chief Jim Kohsel said the man planned to eat the animal and was burning off its fur on a third-floor balcony of the building in Holland Township, Michigan.

But the deck caught fire and the flames quickly spread to the roof, destroying eight apartments and damaging others.

Nobody was injured but resident Tiffany Camburn told The Holland Sentinel that she and her neighbors had to evacuate their apartments.

Another resident, Spencer Duits, was philosphical about the incident.

"It's only stuff. It's only stuff. The good thing is that nobody got hurt," he said.

"My dog was able to get out of the apartment and life goes on tomorrow. I got a skylight now, though."

The American Red Cross arranged temporary shelter and clothing for displaced residents.