A Brighton Township family is safe after a fire this morning severely damaged their home.

Brighton Fire Chief Mike O'Brian says they were called out shortly after 6:20am to the home in the 3000 block of Hilton Estates, off of Hilton Road, just west of Old US-23. O'Brian says when they were about a mile away they could already see heavy smoke and by the time they arrived on the scene, heavy fire had already swept through the garage and was spreading into the house. The occupants of the home had already self-evacuated, although one person was treated for smoke inhalation and transported to a medical facility. Because there are no hydrants in the area, the Lyon Township, South Lyon and Hartland Area Fire Departments were called in to help truck water to the scene.

O'Brian says it took about 20 minutes to get the flames under control and another 30 minutes to overhaul the scene. He said the home had working smoke detectors, but because the fire started in the garage, it was well established before the smoke triggered them. The house is uninhabitable but that there is nothing at the time to indicate it was suspicious in nature. (JK)