Fatal house fire in Wyandotte ruled accidential

Wednesday, December 21st 2005, 10:42 am

By: News On 6

A house fire in rural Ottawa County claims the life of an elderly man. Volunteer firefighters were on the scene of a fatal house fire for more than three hours Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, but they weren't able to save 86 year-old Herb Faucett.

Red Cross officials say December has been a rough month for fire victims in Ottawa and Delaware Counties. Ten families have been burned out of their homes.

News on 6 anchor Tami Marler says Herb Faucett's daughter made the first call to firefighters when a wood-burning stove caught fire at their home, outside of Wyandotte. Neighbors say one house was destroyed by the time firefighters arrived more than 20 minutes later.

Cyrena Overfelt was in her home, watching television when Faucett's 53 year-old daughter came knocking. "So I turned the TV down and I heard screaming terrible, and Susie was trying to get to me. And I come running out. And me and Terry tried to get in the door, but there was so much smoke and little bit of blaze that we couldn't make it. And he was in the middle, I guess trying to get water out of the kitchen to put the fire out. She was just so hysterical. It was awful. I just feel so sorry for her because she lived with him."

Even hours after firefighters left, hot spots smolder at the spot where two homes and a shed once stood. No one was home next door, where smoke and heat caused extensive damage.

Officials with the state fire marshal's office says the fire has been ruled accidential.

Now Overfelt is caring for Faucett's dogs, to honor the friend who was there when anyone needed a hand. â€œHerb was wonderful. Gonna miss him. Don't seem the same now."