Six children among the injured, including three from the same family
An apartment building on Detroit’s west side suffered extensive damage in the early hours of Monday after neighbors reported hearing what sounded like an explosion.
At least 12 people were injured in the blast, including six children. According to Local 4 News, three of the injured were from the same family. The Detroit Free Press reported that two people were hospitalized in critical condition.
Destruction and emergency response
Local 4 News arrived at the scene around 4 a.m. on Monday, where the building had been severely damaged, and emergency responders were assisting multiple victims.
The explosion tore out the bricks forming the building’s western wall and shattered its windows.
Authorities told the Free Press that thermal imaging from drones confirmed all occupants of the 12-unit building had been evacuated. The structure sustained such severe damage that officials said it would have to be demolished.
Residents forced to escape as flames spread
Detroit Fire Commissioner Charles Simms stated that when first responders arrived, they found residents on the second floor preparing to jump from windows. Fire crews managed to enter the building and safely evacuate them without additional injuries.
Among the injured was a 30-year-old man with burns covering most of his body, a 27-year-old woman in critical condition, and a three-year-old girl who suffered burns inside the apartment.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the explosion.
Possible gas leak suspected
DTE Energy was on-site early Monday morning. While the company has not confirmed whether a natural gas leak caused the explosion, it shut off gas service to the building as a precaution.
One injured resident, Ashley Rinder, told Local 4 News that her boyfriend had smelled gas before they went to bed the night of the explosion.
“It sounded like a bomb,” she said.
Rinder described how she had to escape through a window because her door was blocked after the blast. She injured her feet in the process, while her boyfriend hurt his arm while trying to rescue their 5-month-old son.
She also noted that the explosion destroyed all their belongings, as well as their vehicles. Pointing to her boyfriend’s work truck, which was crushed under bricks, she expressed uncertainty about what comes next.
“That’s how he provides for us,” she said. “Now we have to figure this all out.”