Fires kill Roseville resident, destroy garages in Harrison and Macomb townships
Fire officials in three Macomb County communities are investigating house fires in the past couple of days, including one that took the life of a Roseville resident.
Roseville firefighters and police officers responded Monday to a fire on Hillview Street, in the area of 12 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue, but said the incident remains under investigation and released little information.
“I can confirm there was a fatality,” Fire Marshal William Ciner said Tuesday in an email.
Fire department administrators said they are awaiting a report back from the county medical examiner and other details before they make a public report.
Meanwhile, two blazes broke out Tuesday at homes in Harrison and Macomb townships:
• Thirty-foot-high flames coming from an attached garage greeted fire crews as they pulled up to a scene on the 28900 block of Old North River Road near Riverbank Street in Harrison Township about 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Inside the burning garage were a vehicle and a motorcycle, but efforts to prevent the flames from spreading into the house proved successful.
The husband and wife who live there were able to escape without injury, along with a pet dog. Unfortunately, three cats died in the incident.
“They were really fortunate because we were able to contain the fire so it didn’t get into the structure of the house,” Fire Chief Dave Bostater. “Everything in the garage was a total loss. It was a good knockdown.”
The interior had significant smoke damage, but the chief said the couple has insurance on the property.
Firefighters from Clinton Township, Mount Clemens, and Selfridge Air National Guard Base assisted in extinguishing the blaze, Bostater said.
• A few hours earlier, Macomb County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence on Fairchild Road in Macomb Township for an active house fire about 2 a.m.
The two residents and their pet were able to escape the huge flames and got outside unharmed. The heaviest flames could be seen coming from the garage area.
Macomb Township firefighters and medical units arrived on scene and the fire department extinguished the blaze.
The residents are staying with family currently, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The cause of fire is still under investigation.
“Please take this time to make sure you have working smoke detectors in your home and that if you have not changed the batteries within the last year, you do so now,” Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said in a news release.
“It is also a great time to create or re-discuss the fire plan you have with the occupants of your home.”