The residence at 9420 Allen Road in Independence Township caught fire on Nov. 7 shortly after 8 a.m. After dousing the flames, firefighters on the scene determined a gas powered generator encased in a wooden box attached to the house was the blaze’s point of origin.
The lone occupant and dog home at the time of the fire did not suffer injury.
The Independence Township Fire Department responded to the call at 8:40 a.m., according to Lt. Chris Norberg who was in charge of the scene.
According to Norberg, the fire spread up the outside wall, and via the roof of the ranch-style home, spread through the cellulose insulation, which is paper-like, in the attic. Aside from the outside of the home and the attic, there was some fire damage to a bedroom. Norberg estimated that less than 25 percent of the home was effected by the fire.
‘We had the fire out within 20 minutes. It’s just a big mess,? said Norberg, referring to the burnt insulation firefighters began clearing from the home around 9:30 a.m.
Firefighters were able to rescue much of the artwork from the fire affected bedroom.
The occupant of the home was alerted to the fire by a neighbor who saw smoke billowing from the backside of the home. According to Norberg, the resident reported that the generator was turned on just before 8 a.m. and following that the lights within the house flickered.
The Brandon Township Fire Department were also on the scene assisting the ITFD.