DETROIT – Fire investigators in Detroit are trying to determine what caused a fire that killed a woman early Tuesday morning.
The fire happened around 6 a.m. on the city's west side in the 6000 block of Greenview, which is near the Southfield Freeway and Ford Road.
Neighbor Ashley Shaver was the first to call 911 after smelling smoke.
“Then when they came, I saw her house with smoke coming out of the chimney. That’s when I said, 'Go over there,'" Shaver said.
When crews arrived, they found that no utilities in the home were connected.
An investigator told Local 4 the woman was using something to keep warm, but not a space heater.
They’re still working to determine what it was.
“I know there are situations where people can’t afford their gas bill, but, we get this every year,” said
Battalion Chief Randy Gibson. “Try not to have it around curtains and don’t go to sleep while you have them on.”
“It’s very , very heartbreaking. That was my buddy,” said next door neighbor Lenny Watkins.
Watkins said many knew the woman was having money problems and tried to help.
“I would feed her in the summertime,” said Watkins. “She was a good, good person. We’ve got love in our heart for her.”
