Dogs spared in township fire

Atlas Twp.-Firefighters responded to a house fire near Baldwin and Vassar roads on Sunday at about 11:45 a.m. Sunday. Fire Chief Fred Forys said passerbys traveling east on Baldwin Road saw smoke coming from the home’s attached garage and stopped in the driveway.
‘The passerbys could hear the dogs barking in the garage,? said Forys. ‘Someway they pried the door open enough to get them out and rescued.?
When firefighters arrived at the home, flames were coming though the roof of the garage.
‘We sent five crews through the house to search for residents inside,? said Forys. ‘The crews did a great job of knocking the fire down’the fire was hard to stop once it got going.?
In addition to the Atlas Township Fire Department, crews from Brandon, the City of Davison, Groveland Township, and Grand Blanc Township assisted with water to the blaze. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
‘It appears the garage is a total loss and about 80 percent of the house was severely damaged due to smoke and fire,? added Forys.