Firefighters are trying to figure out what caused an early morning fire, leaving a Shelby Township couple homeless.
“A husband and wife woke up, heard something, looked out the window of their kitchen and day room area, and saw a big fire on their deck, said Chief Jim Swinkowski. “They immediately called 911.”
In the few short minutes it took for firefighters to arrive, the flames and smoke had taken over the house.
Firefighters rushed inside the house on Mallard near 21 Mile and Hayes, but at some point it got too dangerous for them.
“They were trying to get to the attic and it worked its way up from the first to second floor from the outside… trying to get ahead of it and get it knocked down, but it had just spread and the fire was just spreading inside the attic and they started getting some collapse of the roof, so they had to pull out quickly,” said Chief Swinkowski.
The two residents were the only ones inside the home at the time and managed to they get out safely.
What caused this fire is not known right now. It is still under investigation. It is suspected someone nearby was playing with fireworks in the area and that may have been the cause.
“The only thing we know for sure last night, according to some of the neighbors, is that people were shooting off fireworks on the block over - which was upwind from where the fire started,” said Chief Swinkowski. “So our investigation is going focus on fireworks and electrical.”
No one was hurt, but the home is a total loss.
