By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
- Detroit — Two separate house fires on Sunday and Monday left four people dead (including a 7-year-old boy) and three hospitalized, officials said. Early Tuesday, crews battled three more east-side fires; one firefighter was injured. Firehouse
- Tuesday’s incidents included blazes on Dwyer Ave., Charest St. (with a rekindle), and Ashland St.; one fire spread to four nearby houses. Firehouse
- Causes of all incidents remain under investigation. The Detroit Fire Department urged winter heating and candle safety, citing NFPA data on seasonal risks. Firehouse
DETROIT — A string of Detroit house fires over three days left four people dead—including a 7-year-old boy—and three others hospitalized, as firefighters returned to the east side before dawn Tuesday to contain three additional blazes, authorities said. A Detroit firefighter suffered a minor injury during one of Tuesday’s fires and was treated at a hospital, officials added. Firehouse
According to the department, crews first responded around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday to the 19100 block of Dwyer Avenue(near Seven Mile and Mound), where flames originating in one house extended to four nearby homes. No injuries were reported at that scene, and displaced residents were connected with the American Red Cross and the city’s Housing Department. Firehouse
Shortly before 3 a.m., firefighters went to the 19600 block of Charest Street (Outer Drive/Conant area) and found the occupants and their dogs outside. The fire was knocked down, but rekindled after 6 a.m. and was quickly extinguished. Around 3:10 a.m., a separate fire drew companies to a two-family flat on Ashland Street (Kercheval/Chalmers). Crews found fire in the second-story unit; one firefighter was injured during operations and later released. Firehouse
The overnight run followed two fatal fires: on Monday morning, three people died and one was hospitalized after a blaze on the 19000 block of Wildemere Street on the northwest side; on Sunday, a 7-year-old boy died in a west-side fire on Rutherford Street, where a woman and a 4-year-old were transported. Investigations into all incidents continue. Firehouse
With winter heating season underway, Detroit Executive Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms urged residents to review space-heater and candle precautions and to check smoke alarms. The department highlighted NFPA data showing heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths, with risks peaking during the holidays and the coldest months. Firehouse
Authorities asked anyone with information about the recent fires to contact investigators. Additional updates, including causes and victim identifications, will be released as they are confirmed.