STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – An 18-year-old woman was killed, three residents were taken to a hospital and two firefighters suffered burns during a house fire in Sterling Heights, authorities said.
Firefighters were called around 8:15 a.m. Wednesday to a home in the 37000 block of Mariano Drive. Sterling Heights Battalion Chief Tim Bade said the family was trapped and needed help.
There were four people in the home, Bade said. Firefighters got to the scene within four minutes and found the house already consumed by flames, he said.
One neighbor was trying to help, but a fire crew took over the rescue and went into the burning building, Bade said.
Firefighters rescued three of the residents and a fourth got out by themselves, Bade said.
During the rescue, one firefighter called a Mayday, which means he was trapped and needed help from other crews, officials said.
Another crew went into the house and helped the firefighter get out. He is doing OK, Bade said.
He said two firefighters were taken to the hospital with minor head and neck burns.
"It was just the conditions inside the building escalated rapidly, and it became a very hostile condition inside the home," Bade said. "It's what we call a flashover condition. Everything gets to about 1,100 degrees, catches on fire, and they were unprotected. They didn't bring a hose line with them because they were rescuing people, and that required other crews to come in and start to extinguish the fire to assist them to get out.
He said three of the residents were taken to the hospital in critical condition.
An 18-year-old woman who was on the first floor of the building died, officials said. Two people in their 20s are still at Detroit Receiving Hospital, officials said.
One person was treated and released from Beaumont Hospital.
Both firefighters were treated and released, fire officials said.
The might have started in the kitchen, according to authorities. Bade said the flames went out the back side of the home.
Fire officials are continuing to investigate. The investigation is expected to take at least 48 hours, Bade said.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family.
You can hear Bade's full update in the video below.