Fire Damaged Garage at Lake Sara

Fire damaged a garage at a home near Lake Sara Saturday morning.

Shumway firefighters were called just after 10am to the Francis Niemerg residence at 9944 E. Bloomfield Hills Drive.

The first arriving engine company spotted smoke coming from the garage area.  The homeowner and neighbors met the fire department.  Shumway Fire Chief Joe Kemme said, "The homeowner told us that he believed it was some type of electrical fire in the garage and that he had used a dry chemical fire extinguisher to try and put the fire out."

Firefighters had the bulk of the fire extinguished by 10:15am and were waiting on Norris Electric to arrive to disconnect the power so the remainder of the hot spots could be extinguished.  Fire investigators with the Shumway Department ruled the fire accidental.  The cause of the fire was a short in the breaker box.  Estimated damage to the structure is about $5,000 and the damage was confined to the garage.

Chief Kemme said, "The homeowner and bystanders were able to safely extinguish the bulk of the fire and exit the house safely.  If it was not for that, we would have had a much bigger fire."  Shumway fire officials reminds citizens that every house should have a fire extinguisher and only use it when it is safe to do so.