A familiar face, a devastating loss

Michele DeSelms, a former anchor at WOOD TV8 whose face was familiar to West Michigan viewers from 2020 to 2023, lost her home to a massive fire Wednesday night in Plainfield Township near Rockford.

The blaze struck around 8:29 p.m. on Kroes Street NE in the 3800 block, between Brewer Avenue NE and Childsdale Avenue NE, just off the campus of Rockford High School. By the time the first firefighters arrived, the house was already "well-involved" with heavy smoke, according to the Plainfield Township Fire Department.

Multiple departments battle the flames

The scale of the fire triggered a second alarm within minutes. Crews from Algoma Township, Alpine Township, Cannon Township, Sparta, and Rockford all responded to assist. Rockford Ambulance was also on scene.

Smoke from the fire was visible for miles. A camera in downtown Grand Rapids, about 10 miles away, captured a column of smoke rising from the Rockford area.

"By the time firefighters arrived, the home was well-involved," according to the Plainfield Township Fire Department.

Everyone escaped safely

Despite the severity of the fire, everyone inside the home made it out unharmed. That included DeSelms, other occupants, and a dog, according to WOOD TV8.

DeSelms told her former station that the house was undergoing renovations at the time of the fire. She said the home was destroyed.

Firefighters remained on scene well past 10 p.m. putting out hot spots. Kroes Street was closed between Brewer and Childsdale avenues for several hours before reopening.

Cause unknown

The cause of the fire is not known at this time, according to the Plainfield Township Fire Department. Investigators have not released additional details.

DeSelms spent three years as an anchor at WOOD TV8 before leaving the station in 2023. Her home loss marks a stark turn from the newsroom to the news.

This is a developing story.