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Posted on Mon, Nov 1, 2010 : 9:40 a.m.

Fast-burning fire destroys one Ypsilanti Township mobile home, damages another

By Cindy Heflin

Fire investigators are looking into the cause of fast-burning blaze that destroyed one mobile home and damaged another in Ypsilanti Township early Sunday morning.

The fire was reported at 12:44 a.m. after a resident of the Swan Creek Mobile Home Community, 6988 McKean Road, heard a boom or an explosion, said Capt. Brad Johnson of the Ypsilanti Township Fire Department. The resident looked out and saw a large fire on her deck, Johnson said.

She and her husband escaped the home with no injuries, but by the time firefighters arrived a few minutes later the home was engulfed in flames and fire was spreading to the mobile home next door. The residents of that home also heard the noise, saw an orange glow outside and fled the home, Johnson said.

Heat from the fire had broken bay windows on the second mobile home by the time firefighters arrived, Lt. Keith Harr said.. The siding was on fire and flames were spreading into the attic space.

The first two firefighters to arrive were able to knock down the blaze at the second home and then train their hoses on the larger fire, Johnson said.

Township firefighters, aided by Ypsilanti city firefighters, brought both blazes under control in less than an hour and were able to limit damage at the second mobile home to the siding, roof and some drywall, but the first one was a total loss. Firefighters estimated the loss from the destroyed mobile home at $40,000, and put the damage at $15,000 to the second home.

Johnson said there was a charcoal grill on the deck where the fire started but it’s not clear whether that had anything to do with the blaze. “Right now we’re looking at all causes,” he said.

The Washtenaw County Red Cross assisted the residents of the homes with food, clothing and shelter, which include two adults and a teenager in the first home and three people in the second home.


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