Firefighters rescued two adults, a child and a cat from a burning third-floor apartment in Michigan as crews raced to save trapped residents during a fast-moving blaze and subzero temperatures Tuesday night.
The Wyoming Fire Department responded around 8:45 p.m. to a reported structure fire and arrived to find heavy smoke and fire at the rear of the building, with flames moving toward the roof, the city of Wyoming said in a news release. Firefighters were told multiple residents were trapped on the third floor.
The city shared video footage of the dramatic rescue that was captured using a firefighter’s helmet camera.
“Do not jump,” firefighters can be heard shouting up to the apartment. “There’s a ladder coming up.”
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Crews quickly raised a 35-foot ground ladder up to the third-floor window to help the trapped residents.
“Help me,” a woman says as she passes a child out of the window to a firefighter. “Thank you. Thank you, guys. My baby, please, my baby.”
“I got her,” the firefighter says. “I got you. It’s OK. I got you, OK. It’s all right.”
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Firefighters pulled the two adults, the child and their cat from the third-floor window. All three people were treated by ambulance crews for smoke inhalation and taken to a local hospital, the city said. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Firefighters battled extreme cold, with temperatures in the single digits and wind chills below zero, according to officials.
As the fire spread, the city said parts of the building collapsed, forcing crews to bring in an excavator to demolish sections of the structure and fully extinguish the flames.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Multiple agencies assisted in the response, including the Wyoming Police Department, several neighboring fire departments, AMR Ambulance, the Red Cross and local utilities. A school bus was also used to transport displaced residents to a shelter.
Fire officials urged residents to ensure smoke alarms are working, develop emergency escape plans and take steps to prevent fires.
