BATAVIA TOWNSHIP, MI – An electrical short in the attic is believed to have caused a fire Tuesday afternoon which destroyed a home in Branch County’s Batavia Township.

Bronson Fire Chief Scott Wilber says the house fire at 335 West Barnhart Road was reported just after 4 p.m. First Bronson crews arrived to find a large one story ranch house with fire coming from all of the windows.

In addition, the siding on a nearby unattached garage was melting upon arrival of fire crews. Firefighters were reportedly able to prevent the building from catching fire.

Wilber says the 20 plus MPH winds were driving the fire
throughout the structure.

Crews were on scene for five hours. No injuries were reported.

Damages are estimated at $450,000 to the structure and $150,000 to the contents.

Coldwater, Union City, Sherwood, and Colon fire departments were called in for mutual aid. Lifecare Ambulance, the Branch County Sheriff’s Department, and the Branch County Sheriff’s Department Victim Services Unit also responded.