Multiple Rescues in Detroit

DETROIT (AP) — Firefighters battled a large blaze early Wednesday at an apartment complex on Detroit’s west side that sent flames shooting from the windows and roof and forced dozens of stunned residents from their homes.

There were no immediate reports of any deaths caused by the fire at the Jason Manor Apartments, which broke out at about 6 a.m. Four people were taken to hospitals for treatment, Detroit Fire Commissioner Jonathan Jackson said.

Firefighters rescued about 25 people, who were given shelter in a bus before being taken to a nearby church, he said.

“Our firefighters did a heroic job,” Jackson said. He said the department was still trying to account for everyone who was in the three-story building.

Police were called to the building earlier to deal with a disturbance at a party, Jackson said, and police were expected to investigate whether that was related to the fire. The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately known.

Ellery Taylor told The Detroit News he woke up to the sound of a smoke alarm early Wednesday. He rushed to the door of his apartment, where he was met with thick smoke that enveloped the hallways.

“When I looked out of the window, my neighbor was hollering: ‘Jump! Jump! Jump! You have to jump!'” he said. “When I jumped, the first thing I thought was could I help somebody?”

The building had 42 units and 39 were occupied, Jackson said.

“A lot of people were half-naked,” Doug Woodcock, who works at a nearby building, told the Detroit Free Press. “We gave them shoes.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

countyfiretactics

Curt Isakson is a 35 year veteran of the fire service. Curt is currently a Battalion Chief for Escambia County Fire Rescue. Previously worked 9 years with the Pensacola Fire Department where he was assigned as the Company Officer on Rescue 31. Curt’s fire service experiences started at a young age as a Junior firefighter with the Midway Fire Protection District and rose through the ranks to Captain. He has worked in volunteer, career, and combination departments.

Curt has held all ranks up to Battalion Chief and been assigned to operations, training, inspections, and was Chief of Special Operations for 7 years. Curt owns and operates County Fire Tactics that covers a very diverse range of fire service topics, as well as Firefighter Rescues, a site that documents rescues made by firefighters around the country.

He has annual contracts with numerous departments to provide standardized monthly training for these departments that respond daily together under an automatic aid agreement. Curt teaches nationally to include; FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Orlando Fire Conference, Atlanta Fire Conference, Bowling Green State University, and owns/operates the annual HROC, COBC, WOTF, CFT ODP on Pensacola Beach. He is a Florida Certified Fire Officer, Instructor, Inspector, Arson, and FLUSAR.

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