A roaring fire destroyed the home at 941 Chirco Dr. Friday morning and now it’s up to theOakland County Sheriff’s Fire Investigation Unit to figure out what sparked the blaze.
‘We may never know the actual cause,? said Oxford Fire ChiefJack LeRoy, noting this was the home’s fourth fire since 1983.
The department was called to the home by a neighbor at 10:24 a.m.and the first engine was on scene at 10:27 a.m.
With thick, black clouds of smoke billowing out of the windows and roof of the two-story, 2,300-square-foot home, the crew faced a long day. Firefighters didn’t clear the scene, located just north of W. Drahner, until 7:08 p.m.
According to LeRoy, the fire,which started on a lower level andspread to the attic before the firecrews even got there, was under control at 11:47 a.m. A slight 5 mph wind from the north made the neighbor to the south of the home worried, but firefighters were able to prevent flames from ‘jumping? to the next house by strategically placing their fire hoses in certain areas.
‘We went back out twice during the night just to make sure there weren’t any hot spots,? he said.
LeRoy estimated damages in the neighborhood of $350,000 to $450,000. He said the home’s recent renovations and add-ons made the fire spread even further throughout the structure.
‘It was apparent that it was burning a long time before it was noticed on the exterior,? he said. ‘It got a lot of headway on us. We’re fortunate the wind wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been and that no one was home.?
Firefighters from Orion were called to assist, while the Addison Twp. Fire Department covered Oxford’s medical calls.