2 killed, 5 injured in Pontiac house fire, officials say

Police say people jumped from second story of building

Pictures from a Jan. 17, 2022, fire in Pontiac (Oakland County Sheriff's Office)

PONTIAC, Mich. – Two people were killed and five others were injured early Monday morning in a Pontiac fire, officials said.

The fire began at 2:44 a.m. Monday (Jan. 17) at a home in the 800 block of St. Clair Street, near Kennett Road and Baldwin Avenue, according to authorities.

Recommended Videos



More: Survivor of Pontiac fire that killed 2, injured 5 speaks out: ‘I don’t know how I made it’

Police said 11 adults were inside the building when it caught fire. Oakland County deputies and Waterford Township firefighters arrived to find the house engulfed in flames, they said.

A 36-year-old Pontiac man told police that he had jumped to safety from a second-story window and told his 19-year-old stepson to do the same, authorities said. The man’s stepson had refused to jump, and he has not been accounted for, according to officials.

Police said one body was found in a second-floor bedroom and another was found in the first-floor kitchen. Those two victims, both men, have not been identified, officials said.

Two Pontiac men, ages 67 and 68, were taken to a nearby hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, police said. A 58-year-old Pontiac man broke his leg, they said.

Authorities are still assessing injuries to other people, but none are believed to be life-threatening, according to police.

Officials said some residents jumped to safety from the second story of the multi-family home.

A fire investigator from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is looking into the cause of the blaze.


About the Author:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.