Faulty stove pipe causes house fire in Manistique

A faulty stove pipe is believed to be the cause of a fire that destroyed a house in Manistique Tuesday afternoon.

The Manistique Public Safety Department said the fire started around 2 p.m. at a residence at 513 N. Mackinac Street in the city.

When officers arrived on scene, they found the rear entry of the home and the kitchen fully engulfed with flames.

Officers say the homeowners, Frank and Denise Chase, were not home at the time but their two dogs were trapped inside.  The dogs died in the fire.

It took about twenty minutes to get the blaze under control, and officers remained on scene for another hour and half to extinguish hotspots.

An investigation showed the fire started in the kitchen area from a faulty metal stovepipe, which allowed hot embers and creosote from the wood stove to escape onto the floor, igniting the room on fire.

Officers say the home is most likely a total loss, due to extensive smoke and heat damage.

The Schoolcraft County Chapter of the Red Cross was on scene, offering assistance to the homeowners, who officers say do not have insurance.

Officers were assisted by the Michigan State Police, who helped with traffic and crowd control.