Donnelly said the construction of the house made it difficult to fight the fire, which apparently started in the attic of the single-story home. He said several additions had been added to the residence, making it hard to contain the fire. The home was a total loss, and the Red Cross was called to assist the family. Donnelly said he was not sure whether the family was staying with relatives.
“It seemed like the fire started in the attic, so by the time we got there the roof was ready to cave in,” Donnelly said.
Firefighters had to battle below freezing temperatures, and it took about three hours to get the fire under control. In all, firefighters were on the scene for about nine hours.
“We were lucky we had a hydrant within 150 feet from the structure,” Donnelly said.
He said it is unclear what may have caused the fire, and firefighters were planning to investigate Tuesday. He said there is no evidence that it is suspicious.
No damage estimate was available Tuesday.
About 15 firefighters were on the scene Tuesday morning. Members of the German Twp. fire department also assisted.
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