Livonia Home Catches Fire As DTE Removes Old Meter

LIVONIA (WWJ) - A Livonia woman and her young son escaped injury, Friday morning, when their home went up in flame.

Smoke could be seen for miles, billowing from the house on Bayberry Street, north of 5 Mile Road near Middlebelt.

Livonia resident Kirk Lytwyn said his wife and son were able to get out of them home in time after the fire sparked due to problems during a meter exchange program going on in their neighborhood.

"A representative from DTE was out here to change the meters and in the process of changing the meters, from what I understand, it blew on him, blew right in his face,"  Lytwyn said. "Apparently he was wearing the appropriate protective gear,"

"And in the process they noticed smoke coming up, at which point 911 was called and the house was evacuated," he said.

While an exact cause remains unknown, DTE Energy representative Scott Simon told WWJ Newsradio 950 the fire occurred during the removal of the old meter.

He stressed that the incident did not involve one of the company's new advanced meters currently being installed in over 3 million metro Detroit area homes and businesses.

The fire remains under investigation.