COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) - Two Coldwater firemen escaped injury Tuesday when a first floor ceiling collapsed on them as they were fighting a house fire. Everyone at the Todd Waller residence at 551 West Chicago Street was able to safely evacuate the house before firemen arrived. The alarm was turned in around 4:30 p.m. yesterday.

It was first reported as a chimney fire and heavy smoke was showing from the roof and attic area when firemen arrived. The flames moved from an interior void space into the attic. The fire started in the area where a chimney pipe from a basement woodburner was located and moved up through a space in the center of the structure. Quick work by firefighters contained the flames to the void space and the attic area although the living room and a bedroom sustained damage as did a portion of the basemen ceiling.

The fire was declared under control is around 40 minutes after the alarm was sounded. Firefighters were on the scene for some two and a half hours.