House fire sparks neighbors' worries

LAKETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - Some residents in an Allegan County neighborhood were concerned when one of their neighbors was not immediately accounted for when a fire engulfed his house.

But family members of the resident later told the Graafschap fire chief, who told 24 Hour News 8, that the resident is at his winter home in Florida.

So nobody was in the Laketown Township residence when the fire sparked around 4 a.m. Wednesday in the 6100 block of 147th Avenue.

A firefighter told 24 Hour News 8 that when they arrived the first floor of the residence was knocked down so they couldn't immediately search the home.

But later they determined the residence was empty.

The 68-year-old's vehicle was in the driveway, which also caused for concern for his neighbors and firefighters, as they thought he was home. But a relative drove him to an airport on Tuesday so he can begin his vacation.

There is no word yet on how the fire started, but fire chief Cal Haverdink said the home's gas meter was burning and a power line was down when firefighters arrived.