Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Howell Area Fire Chief Andrew Box is urging those using generators during the power outages, to keep them outside as far away from your house as possible. He told WHMI News that was the cause of a two-alarm house fire near M-59 and Oak Grove Thursday afternoon.

"We had determined that it started at the rear of the house due to an electrical generator that was operating underneath a large wooden deck," he said.

The home was on Laurel Oak Drive.

"There was one person at home at the time of the fire, and that person was able to escape uninjured," Chief Box added. "The crews did an extraordinary job putting the fire out, controlling it and making sure it did not spread to adjacent homes."

He said they saved 50-60 percent of the home.

The fire only added to an already busy week for local first responders, who cleaned up a fuel spill off N. Burkhart Road earlier this week, along with numerous calls for downed lines and other issues.

"Typically, we run about 10-15 calls a day. Within the last 24-36 hours, we've run over 160 calls," Chief Box said. "Weather-related, fire-related, road blockages due to downed trees, carbon monoxide investigations, on top of all the other services we provide our Howell community."