Fire spreads from porch, causes significant damage to Lodi Township home
A Lodi Township family was forced from their home by a porch fire that extended indoors Thursday night, Saline Area Fire Chief Craig Hoeft said.
A resident was walking into the kitchen when he saw flames on the porch of the house in the 7000 block of Ellsworth Road at about 10:45 p.m., Hoeft said. The family evacuated safely before firefighters arrived and no injuries were reported.
Hoeft said the entire large wooden porch was on fire when they arrived and the flames extended into the front of the home. Firefighters extinguished the flames quickly, but Hoeft said they had to check through several walls to see if the fire had spread further. There was significant smoke throughout the house, and damage was listed at about $50,000.
Hoeft said the cause was accidental and that investigators are checking into the possibility that malfunctioning holiday lights may have played a role.
Pittsfield Township firefighters covered the city of Saline during the blaze.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
CobraII
Sun, Dec 12, 2010 : 1:29 a.m.
I think Ann Arbor should pass an ordinance requiring all holiday porch lighting to be installed by a licensed electrician after approval from planning, zoning & don't forget the historical district commission. All applications for holiday lighting would have to be submitted 6 months prier to installation & have a $200 fee, non refundable of course.
Frank D
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 10:21 a.m.
Way to get the ball rolling Andy. I was thinking the same thing; those pesky couches and Christmas lights.
boom
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 9:26 a.m.
And don't think about putting up lights without approval from the planning commission.
C6
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 7:13 a.m.
No, I don't think Ann Arbor's city council will see this as an opportunity to ban porch light displays, but certainly they soon will need to be licensed by the city.
C. S. Gass
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 12:06 a.m.
Hilarious Andy, and right you are. But please don't suggest to the A2 Council something about banning Xmas lights. They'd jump on that TWICE as hard as the couches! A chance to tell people how they should live coupled with an opportunity to be trendy and anti-christian? What totalitarian turd on the council could pass that up???
Soothslayer
Fri, Dec 10, 2010 : 7:51 p.m.
Oh so it wasn't a couch this time? I guess porches catch fire in a number of ways besides pesky couches that other residents have wanted to have banished from porches. Guess banning holiday lights is next. Have at it council!