Elderly couple die in Marion Township house fire

An elderly Marion Township couple were killed in a house fire Thursday afternoon, fire officials said.

Authorities confirmed the victims are believed to be the homeowners, identified only as a 67-year-old man and his 70-year-old wife. Their names are being withheld pending notification of family members.

The couple's dog also died in the fire.

Chief Andy Pless of the Howell Area Fire Department said crews responded to a 1:20 p.m. 911 Central Dispatch call made from someone in the home, which is in the 3500 block of Brent Drive, south of Coon Lake Road. Crews arrived to find the home fully involved in flames, the chief said.

"They said there was a fire and hung up," the chief explained at the scene. "When we arrived, it was fully involved. The roof collapsed."

Both victims and their dog were found on the main floor of the split-level home, Pless said.

Firefighters' efforts to extinguish the fire slowed once the first victim was found and while they worked to locate the second victim. The fire was called under control within about 30 minutes.

"We still have hot spots, and we're working to get them under control," Pless said at 5 p.m. Thursday.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but it is not believed to be suspicious, Pless said.

An arson team, including a Livingston County Sheriff's Department detective, will work together to investigate the cause of the blaze. The detective's involvement is standard protocol when a death occurs, Undersheriff Michael Murphy said.

Firefighters from Brighton Area and Putnam Township fire departments assisted at the scene. Also on the scene were a crew from Consumers Energy, the local Disaster Assistance Response Team and Livingston County EMS.

Dexter firefighters covered the Putnam Township station while Putnam firefighters remained on the scene.

Lisa Roose-Church is a staff writer for the Livingston Daily.