HOUGHTON -- Tears filled the eyes of Marge Griffor as she held just a few of the only things she has left after a fire broke out in her apartment last Friday.
Inside a burned wooden box were the original wedding rings from her husband along with a prayer book from her childhood and other items she said she cherished. Firefighters found the charred box after sifting through the ashes inside Marge's apartment.
"The fire department had called and said that they had found something, so my daughter took me in and they showed me what they found. They found a box that I had kept. It's got some very old things in it from many, many years ago," said Marge Griffor.
Marge says the fact that the box survived the fire is truly a miracle.
"There's no doubt the angels were taking care of that box. How can a wooden box, the contents of a wooden box, survive when the refrigerator was a skeleton?" Griffor questioned.
The fire broke out on the fifth floor inside the kitchen of Marge's apartment, and Marge says she went downstairs to get her mail and when she returned to her apartment, flames were everywhere.
"By then the fire was higher up. It was going higher and it was so close to the door that I just ran out," Griffor said.
Firefighters rescued 41 residents, including Marge, that day.
Houghton Fire Chief Mike Reynolds released a statement saying, “The State Fire Marshall was called in to investigate, but no further information will be released at this time.”
Donations have been pouring in for the victims, and those who are not staying with relatives will be housed throughout various apartments in Houghton County.
If you're interested in donating to the fire victims, items can be dropped off or mailed to the City Center located downtown Houghton. Checks can be made out to the Houghton Housing Commission.
616 Shelden Avenue
Houghton, MI 49931
(906) 482-1700
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