A passerby stopped at a home in the 12000 block of Noffke Drive Saturday about 10: 30 a.m. and told the man who answered the door that his neighbor’s house was on fire. The man later told Thornapple Township Emergency Services Fire Chief Randy Eaton that by the time he stepped outside to look, the garage was fully involved in flames.
“The 15 mile an hour northeast wind blew the fire from the garage right into the house. When the first unit arrived, the fire was already through the roof of the house. It was already too late to save anything,” Eaton said. The one-story ranch house with attached two stall garage was a total loss. The homeowners were not home and no one was hurt.
Eaton hasn’t determined the dollar loss amount yet, and said there is so little left they may not be able to find out what caused the fire. Based on information and what the neighbor reported, it appears it started in the garage area, he said. The homeowners have insurance.
Slippery road conditions slowed operations and tankers delivering water. TTES firefighters were on the scene for four hours. Dutton Freeport, Leighton and Caledonia fire departments assisted TTES.
