A fire erupted in a Richland Township home last Saturday, inflicting significant damage to the property and prompting the closure of a section of M-89. However, no injuries have been reported thanks to the timely response of local fire services, who also managed to rescue a dog from the flames.
According to WWMT, the fire took place in the 6000 block of M-89, resulting in the closure of the highway from North 28th Street to East C Avenue for about four hours. Richland Township Fire Chief Gerald Luedecking said, "The homeowners were gone and no one was hurt, but firefighters rescued a dog inside." The cause of the fire is yet to be determined and the house is considered likely a total loss.
Multiple neighboring fire departments joined the efforts in dousing the flames. Fire Chief Luedecking, as per WOODTV, described the situation: "We arrived, found smoke showing, heavy fire." The fire was initially detected by a passerby. Luedecking also mentioned that the house posed certain challenges due to its cellulose insulation, which complicated the effort to extinguish the fire.
The fire chief further elaborated that the house was "full of space heaters and extension cords" and relied on space heaters as its main source of heat, which made it difficult to ascertain the cause of the fire. When the house was full of space heaters and extension cords, the chief told WOODTV. Firefighters were still on the scene past 6 p.m., working to put an end to the vestiges of the fire. Later in the evening, M-89 was reopened as the situation was brought under control.
A report by WKZO also mentioned the use of multiple space heaters in the home, which has not been ruled out as contributing to the fire. Thankfully, there were no casualties, human or canine, as all inhabitants and their furry friend were unharmed in the potentially devastating event. The Richland Township Fire Department's quick response ensured that while the home was likely lost, lives were spared.
