Video Relay Review

BLUE LAKE TWP. - A delay in reporting a fire resulted in the destruction of a rural home Thursday afternoon.

Lt. Walter Udell, of the Blue Lake Township Fire Department, said the owner of the double-wide home at 8487 Staple Road, came home to find the home ablaze. Udell believes the owner is

Fire Destroys Home

To report the fire, the owner drove over four miles to the Blue Lake Township Hall on Owasippe Road, and had a township employee call “911.” Station 1 is connected to the township hall.

Udell said the alarm was called in a 1:58 p.m. and the first fire truck arrived at the scene eight minutes later.

“The house was fully involved,” Udell said.

Firefighters knocked down the initial blaze in about 40 minutes, but were on the scene for over three hours before the fire was extinguished.

Udell said the owner lost everything in the fire, but told officials he had relatives nearby with whom he could stay.

The lieutenant said a fire investigator said the home was so completely destroyed, a cause may never be determined.

Udell said he believes the structure was insured.

The home is located just south of Holton-Whitehall Road, on an unimproved portion of Staple Road.

Blue Lake Township Fire Department received assistance from the Holton and Dalton township departments, providing water and manpower.

Udell did warn homeowners to have their furnaces and fireplaces checked and cleaned now that the heating season is upon us.

Original article posted at White Lake Beacon