Chelsea Fire Chief Jim Payeur directs firefighting efforts at a house in Sylvan Township Thursday afternoon.

Lisa Allmendinger | AnnArbor.com

This story has been updated to include additional information.

A fire damaged a two-story white farmhouse on the 400 block of Pierce Road in Sylvan Township Tuesday afternoon.

The homeowners, who arrived after the fire was reported, said they had not been home all day at the house on the corner of Old US-12 and Pierce Road, a site familiar to township residents because the area recycling bins are located nearby.

The home sustained moderate to heavy damage, firefighters said.

Chelsea Area Fire Authority Chief Jim Payeur, who was at the scene, said it's believed the fire began in a freestanding wood stove, but fire investigators were still on the scene late Tuesday afternoon.

Chelsea firefighter Scott Bazar after emerging from the home.

Lisa Allmendinger | AnnArbor.com

Firefighters who came out of the home said it was very hot inside, but they were able to save a lot of the furniture on the first floor and some personal items, including family photos that were on the second floor.

“Because we had four guys on the first engine, we were able to send three people inside immediately, which greatly improved our ability to make a good stop,” Payeur said.

One of the homeowners, Jim Kambach, said no one had been home since this morning. Firefighters were not sure who reported the fire.

“It appears that the fire began in a free-standing wood stove on the north side of the home on the first floor and ran up the walls to the second floor and into the attic,” Payeur said.

Capt. Chris Smyth, one of the first firefighters inside the home, said there was damage to the north end of the home on the second floor and in the attic, but the roof was still intact. There was also moderate water damage, he said.

Dexter Area Fire Department and Manchester Township Fire Department arrived on the scene and assisted in the efforts.

“For an old farmhouse, it was an outstanding stop,” Smyth said. “Usually the result isn’t this good, but because we had four guys on the truck we got in there quickly.”

Although there wasn’t a lot of fire visible from the outside, the firefighters said there was a lot of fire in the attic and in one room upstairs.

“We went through two or three (air pack) bottles each,” Smyth said.

Fire inspectors are expected to return to the home Wednesday morning before issuing a report.

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Lisa Allmendinger is a reporter with AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Chelsea stories, visit our Chelsea page.