Fire department warns of smoke detector risks after Chippewa County family loses home

CHIPPEWA COUNTY, Mich,. (WPBN/WGTU) - - Sault Ste. Marie Fire Department is urging you to check your smoke detectors after a family lost their home due to a fire.

Photographed above is what remains of a Sault Ste. Marie house that caught fire Wednesday morning.

Fire crews say when they arrived the house was fully engulfed with all six residents getting out safely.

However, the fire department said the home did not have functioning smoke detectors.

"They had taken them down because they were in the process of painting and doing some remodeling and that's common. A lot of people do that, and they don't think about that because most people the only time they hear a smoke alarm going off is they either burned their toast or dinner and they don't actually see the benefits they provide people in a fire situation. So unfortunately they didn't have them up,” said Chief Edwin Miller Sault Ste Marie Fire Department.

Chief Miller says smoke detectors need to be replaced every 10 years.

If anyone is in need of smoke detectors or needs theirs checked, contact their local fire department.