(Photo courtesy of Tod Molesworth)
(ST. CLAIR COUNTY) – Residents in a St. Clair County home were awakened to a smoke filled home that was eventually engulfed in flames in downtown Avoca early Friday morning.
The Kenockee Township fire department responded to the residential structure in the 8900 block of Avoca Road around 6 a.m.
Prior to the arrival of the first fire units, an unspecified number of people had escaped the burning home with several suffering from smoke inhalation.
At least three people were taken to a local hospital for treatment of what firefighters said were fire related injuries in the eight-alarm blaze.
A second home, just a few feet away from the burning home, was saved by firefighters.
Avoca Road (M-136) was closed for several hours due to the fire as departments from Kenockee, Brockway, Clyde, Kimball, Emmett, Burtchville, Grant and Mussey fire departments, along with Tri-Hospital EMS and Michigan State Police all responded to the scene.
Those at the scene said the family lost everything in the blaze and several outbuildings also sustained minor damage in the fire.
Cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
