DETROIT – Multiple people were injured after an explosion at an apartment building on Detroit’s west side early Monday morning.
Officials said the explosion happened around 4 a.m. on March 31 on Littlefield just south of Schoolcraft, sending emergency notifications to most Metro Detroit residents.
According to first responders at the scene, at least 13 people were rescued from the home and were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Victims injured
At least six adults and six children were injured in the explosion.
Officials confirmed one man had severe burns on 90% of his body, a woman had burns on 20% to 40% of her body, and a 3-year-old child had burns on 15% of their body.
Ashley Ridner, a young mother who lived in the apartment complex, said she, her boyfriend, and her 5-month-old son were some of the residents rescued from the complex.
“It sounded like a bomb,” she recalled. Ridner mentioned her boyfriend complained about a gas smell before she fell asleep the night before the explosion.
Ridner said her boyfriend injured his arm while he was getting their son out of the complex. She also noted that she injured her feet while they were getting out of the complex through the window.
She and her boyfriend’s vehicles were destroyed by the possible explosion.
She also witnessed some people being rescued with severe injuries.
“Our whole life is in there. I don’t know what they expect us to do next,” she said.
Most of the victims injured were treated and released. The three with severe burns remain in the hospital in critical condition.
Complex bulldozed
Residents packed what little they could following the explosion, and vehicles have been towed.
Demolition crews and fire investigators are working together to figure out what caused the apartment to explode. The apartment building was bulldozed just hours after the explosion.
Cause under investigation
The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
Why notification was sent to Metro Detroiters
The Detroit Fire Department confirmed they sent out the notification in error. The notification was meant to be sent only to residents in the surrounding area of the possible explosion but was sent to multiple areas in Metro Detroit by mistake.
