DETROIT – At least 11 people were hospitalized Friday morning and more were displaced after a massive fire broke out a Detroit apartment building.
Detroit fire crews were battling a five-story blaze for several hours starting early Friday, April 7. The fire erupted at an apartment building on La Salle Boulevard in the area of West Davison Street and the Lodge Freeway.
Footage from the scene can be seen in the video player above.
At least 11 people were taken to different local hospitals with what officials say are mostly minor injuries due to smoke inhalation. Another 20 people had been evacuated from the building and were OK Friday morning.
Firefighters reportedly arrived early Friday morning, kicking doors down and pounding on windows in an effort to wake up residents and get them out. It is currently unknown whether everyone in the building was safely evacuated.
Burning for hours, the fire has completely destroyed the entire building. Portions of the roof and the floors were caving in, pushing the fire down from its position on the roof and fifth and fourth floors.
Fire crews say the building was full of “old fuel,” meaning there were a lot of old building materials, clothes, etc., that helped fuel the fire. Because the building is a total loss and unsafe to enter, firefighters were only working from the exterior after a certain point to tame the fire and keep it back.
Davison Street was closed between Linwood and 14th streets Friday morning while crews battled the fire.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.