Family temporarily displaced following house fire.

November 12, 2020

Family temporarily displaced following house fire.

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

HART — A family with five children ages 5-14 is temporarily displaced from its home following a house fire Thursday, Nov. 12, at 311 East Jefferson Street, according to Hart Deputy Fire Chief Dwight Fuehring.

The fire was dispatched shortly before 10:45 a.m., and three fire departments — Hart, Pentwater and Shelby-Benona — responded to the scene. Nineteen firefighters responded.

Firefighters had the blaze “knocked down” within about 10 minutes from responding, Fuehring said.

The fire appears to be an electrical fire that started behind the kitchen refrigerator, he said.

The homeowner returned home to find smoke in the house and called 911.

When firefighters responded, flames were showing and the house was filled with smoke.

There is smoke damage and water damage, Fuehring said. No one was injured. The family’s pet gold fish was saved from the fire.

The family will be temporarily displaced due to the damage, and the American Red Cross has been called to assist with temporary housing and necessities.

The house is insured, he said.

“It was a great response from everyone,” said Fuehring who takes over as chief for retiring Jack White at the end of the month. White will remain fire chief for the Shelby-Benona Department.

White said protocol now for house fires is three departments are dispatched due to manpower. Previously, protocol was for two departments to be called.

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