ST. IGNACE — A house fire on Thursday left a St. Ignace Township woman with “substantial” injuries, officials say.

Mackinac County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a home on Simmons Road at approximately 8:11 p.m., according to a press release.

Deputies discovered the homeowner had been injured in her effort to render aid to numerous dogs that she kept at the location.

She was transported to Mackinac Straits Hospital by EMS. The local fire department was able to extinguish the fire.

Several dogs from the residence were running loose as a result of the fire.

Most were captured by sheriff’s deputies, but individuals from the Mackinac County Animal Shelter and area residents also helped capture the dogs.

Some required medical treatment from area veterinary clinics, police said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing but preliminary information points to flammable fumes in or near the residence may have been ignited by a cigarette, police said.

The care and living conditions the dogs were subjected to is also under investigation, officials said in the release.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at lbowers@miningjournal.net.