WDIV
Reprinted with Permission

DETROIT - A house fire Thursday morning on Detroit’s northeast side has claimed the life of a child.


Detroit fire officials said the fire broke out about 11 a.m. at a house near Buffalo and Luce Avenue, trapping two children, ages 4 and 5, on the second floor.

Detroit Fire Chief Dolphin Michael said the two adults ran back into the home, but could not find the children.

"The fire was too much for them," Michael said. "The children were on the first floor, the bedroom."

The two children were eventually pulled from the house by firefighters, but the 4-year-old girl later died at a hospital. The 5-year-old boy was still at the hospital Thursday recovering from serious injuries.

Zaid Alsh was inside the home when it caught fire. He said he was sleeping and woke up to flames in front of his face.

"She came screaming to me 'Fire, fire.' I woke up and there was fire in the whole place," Alsh said. "I lost everything that I have."

Neighbor Floyd Washington said he and other neighbors tried to get inside the house to get the children.

"All the neighbors, we were taking turns trying to kick in those doors because we were trying to get those kids," Washington said.

Washington said bars on the doors made it difficult to get inside before firefighters arrived.


An investigation is under way into the cause of the blaze.

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