HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Four people were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation Thursday morning following a house fire in Oakland County, officials said.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, four people were inside of a Highland Township home, on Milford Road between White Lake and Munger roads, when it caught fire shortly before midnight on Wednesday.
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Officials believe the fire likely started after a dog knocked over a heater in the garage, which fell on a bed of straw that caught flame. The fire reportedly spread from the garage to the living area of the home.
One resident, a 41-year-old woman, was trapped in the basement when first responders arrived at the home, which was “fully engulfed in flames,” officials said. She reportedly refused to leave the basement over concern for a collection of exotic animals, birds, ferrets and other pets, authorities said.
Deputies were able to rescue the woman by pulling her through a small basement window. They were also reportedly able to rescue one pig and three dogs from the fire.
The woman and three other residents were taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. Officials say the home was completely ruined by the fire.
More: Local news