Fireworks May Have Caused Devastating House Fire

W. BLOOMFIELD TWP., Mich. (WWJ) - Pre-Fourth of July revelry may have been the cause of a devastating house fire in West Bloomfield Township.

West Bloomfield Township Fire Captain Dan Dawe says what led to the fire is still under investigation, but it looks like the house on Comfort Court -- near Inkster and Walnut roads -- caught fire because of firework debris that landed on the roof.

"We have found a lot of fireworks debris and neighbors, witnesses and the homeowners have stated that neighbors were lighting off fireworks up until about 10 last night," Dawe said.

The house caught on fire around 2 a.m. Monday. Everyone managed to get out thanks to smoke detectors and a call from the family's alarm company. The upstairs was damaged by fire, and there was water damage to the downstairs. Dawe says the house is not a total loss, but he is reminding the public to be responsible when shooting off fire works.

"Any firework that leaves the ground is always hazardous," Dawe said. "We recommend that they not be used, although the law allows them to be used. We recommend that if they're going to be used, they be used in open areas or over the water, but definitely not in crowded subdivisions as this was.

If charges are filed in connection with the house fire, it could be for malicious destruction of property, he added.

In a separate incident last week, a sleeping family was saved by smoke detectors when their waterfront home in the same community went up in flames. The fire that destroyed that lavish 3,500 square foot home on Pontiac Trail started in the attic; firefighters are still determining the cause of the blaze.