ESCANABA — A house on South Eighth Street was heavily damaged when a blaze broke out on Friday morning.

Barely an hour after other Delta County agencies had cleared the scene of a residential fire in Nahma Township, central dispatch received another call for a house on fire at 517 S. 8th St. in the city of Escanaba.

Units from the Escanaba Public Safety Department quickly responded, including fire engine 35, ladder truck 35 and the rescue truck. Because of the scale of the blaze, additional agencies were called in to assist.

By the time the first responders arrived, no occupants were in the building. The fire was most visible on the upper floor, from windows at the front and rear.

Crews initiated what the EPSD referred to as “an aggressive fire attack” using the ladder truck and a handline.

“The fire was successfully contained and extinguished, preventing further spread or damage to dwellings near,” read EPSD’s press release.

Ford River Fire Department, Escanaba Township Fire Department and Cornell Fire Department all assisted in handling the fire. Rampart EMS was also on scene.

In addition, Delta County Search and Rescue provided a heated trailer that allowed personnel and equipment to be warmed up and thawed during the incident. It was the coldest day of the winter so far; the air temperature in Escanaba was about 15 degrees below zero, and the wind chill was 37 below.

“The primary challenges we encountered were related to the extreme cold temperatures,” wrote ESPD Captain Austin Young later that day. “Upon arrival, crews found that the caps on the hydrant were frozen shut and could not be opened initially. Crews quickly relocated to another hydrant, established a water supply, and were later able to get the original hydrant operating as well. …Cold weather conditions also impacted equipment on scene, including hoses and SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) components, which required ongoing attention to prevent freezing.”

Young expressed that firefighters were fortunate to have the warming trailer available thanks to Delta County Search and Rescue.

Red Cross was contacted in order to be able to assist affected and displaced families. While it was unclear whether the structure will officially be declared a complete loss, parts of the building were collapsing, and it is not inhabitable at this time.

According to realtor.com, the house that burned was built in 1898 and last sold in 2021 for $74,000. It is a 1,884-square-foot structure on a 6,970-square-foot lot, common for the area.