This house at 67 E. Beech Street was burned in a fire Tuesday. According to data on the City of Cedar Springs database, it was built in 1950. Photo by T. Probst. 
A house fire left a family homeless Tuesday. Photo by S. Reed. 
Firefighters battling a blaze at 67 E. Beech Street Tuesday morning. Photo by M. Waite.
By Judy Reed
A dog woke a woman early Tuesday morning to let her know their house was on fire. The woman then woke up her dad and stepmom to get them all safely out of the house.
According to Cedar Springs Fire Chief Marty Fraser, they were dispatched to the fire at 67 E. Beech Street (Beech and First St) at 3:15 a.m. When they arrived on scene, Fraser said there was smoke coming out of the eaves.
Chief Fraser said it was an old home with balloon construction, which had been remodeled. That means there were no firestops between the first and second floors, which made fighting the fire difficult.
“We couldn’t get to where the fire was,” said Fraser. “It spread easily up the wall and then to the left and right, and into the attic. It was tough to knock down.”
Those living in the home lost everything.
Cedar Springs had automatic aid from the Sand Lake Fire Department, and after arriving on scene, they requested mutual aid from both Courtland and Algoma Fire Departments. They had all cleared the scene by 8:41 a.m.
“We greatly appreciate all the assistance we received, especially under those conditions,” said Fraser, referring to the frigid temperatures and the difficulty of the fire. “There was a lot of great help between the departments. My heartfelt thanks goes out to all.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
A gofundme has been set up for the family. To contribute, go to https://gofund.me/5234fbbe.
