SHERIDAN TWP. (WWJ) — A woman who recently moved from Tennessee to Northern Michigan has died after trying to rescue her cat from a fire.
The fire broke out shortly before 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26 at a home in Mason County’s Sheridan Township — east of Ludington — and the 60-year-old woman called 911 to report it, according to Michigan State Police.
The woman ran inside to get her dogs and got them out safely, according to MSP.
She then ran back inside the fully engulfed home to save her cat, despite “receiving instructions from Mason/Oceana 911 emergency telecommunicators to remain outside and wait for the fire department,” MSP officials said.
When troopers showed up they were unable to get inside the home, “due to the intense smoke, heat, and flames,” officials said.
Fire department personnel showed up a short time later and “quickly extinguished the flames” and dragged the woman out of the house.
Life-saving measures were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities did not say whether the cat survived.
The victim's name has not been released.
Five fire departments responded to the scene, along with multiple local and state police agencies and Life EMS.
MSP officials are asking anyone who knows more about the fire that did not speak to police at the scene to contact the Michigan State Police Hart Post at (231) 873-2171.