Cause of Barn Fire on Rochester Road Still Under Investigation

The continues to investigate the cause of a on Rochester Road this week.

When firefighters arrived to the 4000 block of Rochester Road about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday, "it was a spectacular fire," Royal Oak Fire Marshal Tom Nikkila said.

Officials are interviewing witnesses and others in the incident in which no one was hurt.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, the Royal Oak Fire Department requested a county fire investigator assist in processing the scene. Upon arrival, Fire Investigator H. Schultz requested the Oakland County Sheriff's arson K-9 assist.

"A couple of neighbors told us they heard a car door slam and within a few minutes our barn was on fire,” said Lindsey Covent, who inherited the property from an uncle, who died a year ago. She has been remodeling a house at the same address since February. She is not living at the house during the renovation work and arrived after the fire was extinguished.

“My uncle left all these antiques in the barn,” Covent said. “It was his whole life. All his memories are gone.”

Covent said she has no insurance to cover the loss of the structure and its contents.

“We’re just stuck with this big mess,” she said.

If you have information this fire, please contact the  at 248-246-3800.