Emily St. house fire extinguished quickly

LUDINGTON — A quick response from Ludington Fire Department saved a house on South Emily Street this afternoon.

Kendra McClellan and Brian Mauer were in the living room of their second floor apartment at 603 1/2 S. Emily when Kendra smelled smoke. “It smelled like bacon,” she said. Brian said he went to check into it and saw smoke coming from the outside of the house. He grabbed a fire extinguisher while Kendra called 911.

“The extinguisher didn’t get to the fire,” he said because it was inside the wall.

Ludington Police Office Sue Maltbie was the first on the scene and reported flames coming out of the building. Fire Chief Jerry Funk arrived moments later and used a fire extinguisher.

“It slowed the fire down until the fire truck got there,” Funk said. Kendra and Brian and their 9-month-old infant and their dog were able to get out safely. They have a cat too and figure it was hiding in the house. They said they were in the process of moving out.

Funk said the fire originated in the electrical panel. Consumers Energy was expected to arrive to replace the panel.

Building owner Linda O’Brien said everyone was out of the building safe. She said both floors were occupied. The first floor occupants will be able to return to the house but Kendra and Brian won’t be able to stay there for a few days, she said.