Man dies in Oakland County barn fire

By Charles E. Ramirez, cramirez@detroitnews.com

A 76-year-old man died Monday in a barn fireplace in northern Oakland County, Michigan State Police stated.

Officers additionally stated the reason for the hearth was below investigation.

In keeping with authorities, emergency responders acquired a name reporting a hearth within the 9100 block of Kier Street close to Chicken Street in Holly at 11:50 PM on Monday.

Springfield Township firefighters, Oakland County sheriff’s deputies and MSP troopers responded. Officers arrived to discover a shed with an condominium behind a home totally engulfed in flames, police stated.

After firefighters extinguished the blaze, state troopers spoke with the house’s homeowners and realized their uncle was within the condominium on the time the barn fireplace broke out, authorities stated.

Firefighters and troopers secured the constructing and located a physique inside, police stated.

“Detectives proceed to analyze this hearth,” First Lt. Mike Shaw, public data officer for the MSP Second District, stated in a press release. “We’re awaiting the medical expert’s report back to positively determine the physique inside because the householders’ uncle. Presently, it doesn’t seem the hearth was intentional.”

Via March 2025, Michigan recorded 25 deaths from 22 fires, in line with the Michigan Fireplace Inspectors Society. The Dewitt-based group represents greater than 800 members.

In keeping with the group’s information, most victims, about 68%, had been male and 24% had been feminine. Seventy-four % of the victims had been 60 years or older.