A Glenalda Drive family escaped from an early morning fire on Jan. 17. The fire destroyed a storage shed, however, and caused damage to the home.
The Independence Township Fire Department was dispatched at about 1:40 a.m., with the fire coming under control around 2:06 a.m., according to Fire Marshal Greg Olrich.
The fire started in the back yard storage shed, Olrich said, but spread to the back of the house, broke some exterior windows and traveled into the roof area.
The cause of the fire was not immediately determined, and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Fire Investigation Unit was called in to investigate. Olrich gave a preliminary estimate of $10,000 to $15,000 worth of damage to the home, in addition to the loss of the storage shed and its contents.
A passerby saw the fire and awoke the family, Olrich said, allowing everyone to escape safely.
No firefighters were injured, although the frigid temperatures caused some challenges both to personal safety and fighting the fire. Olrich said crews had to keep all water lines flowing at least slightly to prevent freezing.
‘It was very, very cold,? he said. ‘It was a tough one to fight.?