Fire destroys Sherman Township house. 

Fire destroys Sherman Township house. 

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

SHERMAN TOWNSHIP — An early morning fire destroyed an unoccupied house at 6059 N. Custer Road today, Monday, Dec. 23, 2020. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 4 a.m. Upon arrival, the house flames were coming out of the roof, near the chimney, according to Fountain Area Fire Department Assistant Chief Jeremy Goble. 

“A couple of the front windows were blown out from the heat,” Goble said. “We tried to make entry in the back but were pushed back out. We had to go defensive on it.” 

Goble said the construction of the house, with several additions, made firefighting challenging. Eventually, an excavator was called in to knock down walls to help extinguish the fire. 

The property owners, who are currently in Florida, use the house as a summer residence, Goble said. 

Goble said a Michigan State Police fire marshal has been called in to investigate. Though there was no evidence that the fire was suspicious, another fire occurred last Saturday, also in an unoccupied house, in Free Soil village. 

Emergency personnel responding included Fountain Area Fire Department, Free Soil/Meade Fire Department, Grant Township Fire Department, Custer Fire Department, Life EMS, and Mason County Sheriff’s Office. Also assisting at the scene were Fountain Fire Department Auxiliary. 

Firefighters remained on scene until shortly after 9 a.m. 

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