Garage Fire Leads to Possible Drug Case

A homeowner in the Trowbridge section of Marquette Township loses his garage to a fire, and maybe his home as well.

It started with welding work in the garage and it continues with what may be a drug investigation.

Joanne Greet of Marquette Township had a hectic start to the day.

She got up just after 7 to find that 1620 Granite Avenue, two doors down from her, was on fire.

Greet says her mom woke her up and got her out of the house.

The two of them wanted to know if anyone had called 911.

Someone already had — her next-door neighbor.

That neighbor had seen the fire spread and melt some of the vinyl siding off his house.

The flames also damaged the 1620 house itself, particularly the roof, which had several holes burned in it.

The owner declined to speak with us on camera, but he told us he’s a diabetic and couldn’t take his insulin with him when he evacuated the house.

Township Fire Marshal Ron DeMarse says crews were able to get his medical supplies to him and also save most of his belongings.

But the garage is a total loss.

One thing that was unusual about the response — the presence of the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team at the scene.

When we asked DeMarse what two detectives from UPSET were doing there, he said they were conducting their own investigation of the scene unrelated to the fire.

He was unable to specify any further than that.

The owner had insurance, and he’ll have to wait until tomorrow for an adjuster to tell him if the house will be declared a total loss.