Woman dies in Rudyard house fire, four others escape

CHIPPEWA COUNTY, MI – A woman died in a house fire in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Wednesday evening while four others escaped.

The fire was reported just before 7 p.m. at a residence on H-40 just west of Rudyard in Chippewa County, police said.

The county undersheriff, a deputy and a state trooper were the first to arrive at the scene, the report said. Upon arrival, they found that two adults and two children had escaped unharmed. They attempted to enter the home to rescue the woman, but there was too much smoke and heat.

Those who escaped told police they believed the fire started in the basement, the report said. The cause is under investigation.