A weekend house fire killed one man and left two adults and a baby suffering from smoke inhalation, according to the Kalkaska County Sheriff’s Office.
On Saturday morning, at approximately 6:39 a.m., Kalkaska County Central Dispatch said they received a call reporting that a multi-family residence was on fire at Pineview Court in Boardman Township, and that the residents in one of the units had allegedly already evacuated.
But, sheriff’s office deputies said once they got there, they determined that the resident, William Joseph Williams, 73, of the other unit was still inside.
Another occupant of a unit that wasn’t involved in the fire tried to put out the flames with a garden hose through a broken window, but Sheriff Patrick Whiteford said in a statement that “dangerous conditions” prevented their entry.
His deputies reported they tried to rescue Williams before the fire department showed up, but found him dead inside his apartment.
According to Whiteford, two adults and an infant who live in a neighboring unit were treated for smoke inhalation on the scene by Kalkaska Emergency Medical Services.
The rest of the flames were extinguished by firefighters.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Michigan State Police Fire Investigation Unit, MSP K-9 Unit, Kalkaska Township Fire Department, Boardman Township Fire Department, Fife Lake- Springfield Township Fire Department and Kalkaska EMS.