Clay Township garage fire spreads, leaves couple homeless

4/10/2008

GENOA A Clay Township couple were rendered homeless yesterday by a fire that spread from an attached garage and destroyed their home, Allen Clay Joint Fire District Chief Bruce Moritz said.

The American Red Cross is helping Steve and Deborah Tripplehorn, whose home at 7094 West Camper Rd. was destroyed by the fire.

Mrs. Tripplehorn was treated at the scene for minor smoke inhalation, Chief Moritz said.

Mrs. Tripplehorn was home when the fire started in the garage about 8 a.m. She left the house safely when a fire alarm went off.

The home, which was worth $104,700, according to the Ottawa County auditor s Web site, is pretty much gutted, Chief Moritz said.

The cause of the fire hasn t been determined, but it is not considered suspicious, the chief added.