By Judy Reed

The fire that destroyed this home is being investigated as an arson.

A Michigan State Police fire investigator has agreed with local authorities that a mobile home fire in the Cedar Springs Mobile Estates on June 26 was caused by arson.

The Cedar Springs Fire Department was dispatched to a single wide home at 368 Allan at 12:04 a.m. Saturday, June 26. They called Sand Lake Fire to assist at the scene.

They were initially told that children might be in the home, but a full search was done and the home was clear. “Within 15 minutes we had searched and knocked down the fire,” said a fire department spokesperson.

No pets were injured, and no one was home at the time of the fire.

According to Fire Chief Jerry Gross, the fire started in a back bedroom. He officially labeled the fire of suspicious cause and circumstance earlier this week.

Cedar Springs Police Chief Roger Parent said that even prior to the fire investigator’s ruling, they knew it was a possible arson. “It definitely wasn’t electrical,” he said. “We will continue to investigate.”

Parent said he doesn’t believe this fire is connected to the arson of the mobile home that occurred in May at 329 Sarah Street. “But that one is still under investigation,” he noted.