SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – A devastating Christmas Day fire has left a Southfield apartment complex uninhabitable, forcing families to lean on each other and the community for support.
A mother of three, Tiffany McRae, is recovering at Detroit Receiving Hospital with second-degree burns, according to her sister, Jasmine Boney.
Around 6:30 a.m. residents escaped with little more than a few gifts or a single shoe as flames tore through their homes.
“I saw, like, my niece and nephew’s bedroom and my sister’s bedroom engulfed in flames,” said Jasmine Boney. “It was nothing but char.”
The fire broke out at the five-unit townhouse complex on Walden Road and Southfield Fire Department crews responded within five minutes.
“The whole first floor of this complex was fully involved,” said Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menifee.
Six surrounding fire departments assisted Southfield firefighters in extinguishing the two-alarm blaze. The cause is still under investigation, though Jasmine’s sister suspects it may have started near one of her lamps. Despite suffering second-degree burns, she made it out and began knocking on doors to alert her neighbors.
Fire officials are now working with property management to provide temporary housing and resources for displaced families.
As Jasmine’s sister recovers in the hospital, the family is grateful for what matters most this Christmas: each other.
“They lost their gifts, which can be replaced; they lost their house, but I’m glad they have their lives,” Jasmine Boney said. “The whole time we were on our way here I was like, ‘Thank you, God. Thank you, God.’”
Jasmine remains unsure how long her sister will remain in the hospital. They family did not have insurance for items inside the home. Anyone wishing to assist the family can donate to their GoFundMe.
