Detroit Webb Street Apartment Fire Injures 2, Displaces Families

A fire that began before dawn on Thursday, Oct. 22, tore through part of an apartment complex on Webb Street on Detroit's west side, sending two residents to the hospital and leaving at least four households without a place to stay. The cause has not been announced.

What happened

Reports place the start of the fire at about 5 a.m. By roughly 5:30 a.m., flames were showing through the roof, and WDIV-TV reported that at least one building in the complex appeared fully involved. Early reports suggested residents might be trapped inside, and firefighters attacked the blaze aggressively before it was brought under control.

The two news outlets that covered the fire describe the property differently. WDIV called it the Russell Woods apartment complex on Webb Street; WXYZ-TV named it the Garden on Webb apartments, near LaSalle and Webb in the Dexter-Linwood area. Both place it on the city's west side, and both report the same early-morning timing and the same two injured residents, so this appears to be a single incident described with different neighborhood labels.

Injuries and a ladder rescue

WDIV reported that two residents in their 50s, one man and one woman, were hospitalized with smoke inhalation and burns. WXYZ gave more detail: a 53-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman were taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital in serious condition, and the station reported that firefighters reached the couple by ladder after the pair had weighed leaping from an upstairs window toward a mattress. A firefighter also hurt an ankle; WXYZ said the firefighter was treated and released.

How many people are displaced

The two accounts do not match on the displacement count. WDIV said four families were left needing temporary housing, with the American Red Cross on scene to help. WXYZ reported that 12 residents were displaced from four units, though it also said the fire damaged several units. The figures could describe the same households counted two ways, but neither outlet reconciled them, so the exact number of affected people and apartments remains unclear.

WXYZ reported that the complex is working to relocate residents who lost their homes, and the station listed a help line for those affected: 866-313-2520.

Cause

Detroit fire investigators are still working to determine how the fire started. Until they say so, any explanation circulating online should be treated as speculation.

What this means for renters

Fires that start in the early morning are especially dangerous because residents are asleep. A few steps worth taking in any multifamily building:

• Know two ways out. If a stairwell is filled with smoke, you may need a window or a neighbor's balcony, and a rescue by ladder depends on firefighters knowing which window to go to. Call 911 and tell the dispatcher your unit number.
• Check your smoke alarms. Press the test button monthly and ask your landlord in writing to fix anything that does not work.
• Keep documents and medications reachable. A small bag by the door with ID, medication and a phone charger makes the first days far easier. Our first-72-hours checklist walks through what to do next.
• Look at your renters insurance. A landlord's policy covers the building, not your belongings or hotel costs. See our guide to renters insurance after a fire for what loss-of-use coverage can pay for.

We will update this story if investigators release a cause or the property owner details relocation plans.