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Brothers rescue grandmother from burning apartment in Detroit

Cause of fire being investigated

DETROIT – Two brothers rescued their grandmother from a fire at an apartment Wednesday on Detroit’s east side.

It was about 7 p.m. at Jefferson Meadows Apartments, where Jahmeel Williams, 19, and his 21-year-old brother Malik were taking care of their grandmother Rita Williams.

“I smelled something burning like fire,” said Jahmeel Williams. “Then I heard the fire alarm and I went to go check to see what it was. I went on the balcony and looked down and saw the fire.”

The brothers called 911 and their mom.

“It just heart wrenching. As a mother, I could hear the panic in my son’s voice,” said Mya Williams. “What had us worried most is my mom is on oxygen so the unit has several tanks in there.”

With firefighters on the way, they raced to get their grandmother to a back bedroom. While Jahmeel went to warn neighbors to get out, Malik was comforting his grandmother.

“I feel like she was more worried about me and my brother. But I’m telling her, ‘We’re fine. It’s all right. You just focus on breathing.’”

Firefighters lowered Rita Williams to safety. For both men, they knew what to do in a fire thanks to a family member.

“My older brother is a firefighter,” said Malik Williams. “He was always studying, saying all of these things, so we just kind of picked it up. I never imagined I’d actually have to use it.”

Watch the full report in the video posted above.

View more: Wayne County news


About the Author
Jason Colthorp headshot

Jason is Local 4’s utility infielder. In addition to anchoring the morning newscast, he often reports on a variety of stories from the tragic, like the shootings at Michigan State, to the off-beat, like great gas station food.

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