BRONSON, MI (WTVB)- Downed electrical lines that landed on the roof of a mobile home in Branch County sparked a fire early today that destroyed the structure in Batavia Township. A passerby called 9-1-1 to report the blaze around 3:20 a.m. and Bronson firefighters figured shortly after arriving that no one was currently living in trailer on U.S. 12 near Log Road. There was heavy fire showing throughout the home and the fire was reported under control in less than 20 minutes.
Firemen were able to protect a large garage and workshop next to the mobile home and prevent the flames from spreading. Officials said the owner of the property at this point is unknown. Firemen were on the job for 2-and-a-half hours.
It the second structure fire the county in less than 24 hours. Tuesday morning, a pole barn for hay rolls in Algansee Township on East Central Road near Ferguson Road at the Preston Dairy Farms went up in flames. The building was engulfed in fire when the first firefighters arrived from Quincy after the alarm was toned out around 9:40 a.m.
A Preston family member told us they believed that spontaneous combustion from the hay may have sparked the blaze. They also reported it was very fortunate that the winds were blowing out of the east since the gutted structure was located just to the east of a large barn for the farm’s milking operations and it was spared. The fire wasn’t declared out until 1:40 Tuesday afternoon. No animals were hurt in the fire and no injuries were reported otherwise.
The Coldwater, Allen, and Fremont Fire Departments provided mutual aid for Quincy. Firemen were on the job for six hours.