GENERATOR FIRE DESTROYS GARAGE

Power had been knocked out at home due to high winds downing lines

Heavy winds that swept through the region downed dozens of power lines in Royal Oak while a generator to provide power at one house started a fire that destroyed the owner’s detached garage.

Firefighters were called to Chippewa Street, off Woodward north of Normandy, after 5 p.m. Sunday.

Royal Oak Assistant Fire Chief Jim Cook said a neighbor noticed the blaze and called the homeowner

“The winds were coming across at 40 mph and this thing was burning like a blow torch,” he said. “The (owner) ran a generator in the garage after losing power and the fire started about a half hour later.”

Fire officials said the generator was propane fueled and connected to the house’s power circuit.

The family at the house had left the overhead garage door open while the generator was operating.

The garage was mostly burned down when firefighters arrived.

The fire destroyed not only the garage but evidence that may have given investigators a better idea of how the blaze started.

“Because of the open garage door and high winds, we’re speculating that some debris may have blown into the generator’s exhaust and the fire took off from there,” Cook said.

No one was injured and there were no cars parked in the garage at the time.

Heat from the blaze shattered a bedroom window and melted some siding. A deck at the house was heavily dam

aged also.

Firefighters battled the blaze and there was no damage to any nearby homes.

The home is still habitable and there was some smoke damage in the bedroom where the window broke.

High winds and rain Sunday caused more than 300,000 power outages for DTE Energy and Consumers Power customers.

In Royal Oak trees and branches were reported to be down.

At the Royal Oak Fire Department fielded calls from 40 residents reporting downed power lines throughout the city.

DTE on Monday said they had about 139,000 customers without power. It is estimated that roughly 7,000 houses and businesses lost electrical power.

More than 500 crews were working to restore power to customers. Customers in the south end of the city were told that it would take up to two days for their electrical power to be restored.

DTE on Monday said they had about 139,000 customers without power. It is estimated that roughly 7,000 houses and businesses lost electrical power.

PHOTOS COURTESY DENNIS WALUS Royal Oak firefighters extinguish a garage fire on Chippewa after a power generator caught fire Sunday evening. Thousands in the city were left without power after heavy winds and rain downed trees, branches and power lines.

Royal Oak firefighters near the front of the house on Chippewa where a detached garage was destroyed by fire Sunday evening.