FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – Farmington Hills police and fire departments released bodycam video of the officers who rushed into a burning home in Farmington Hills early Tuesday morning, rescuing eight people.
Previous coverage: 12, including officers, taken to hospital after house fire in Farmington Hills
Farmington Hills Fire Chief Jon Unruh said crews received a call at around 5 a.m. reporting a fire at a home near 10 Mile and Middlebelt on April 1, 2025.
Officers Devin Hunt, Tim Shingleton, Dean Turk, and Antoneta Bucaj responded to the house moments before firefighters arrived and went inside to rescue those trapped.
Eight people between the ages of 5 months old and 32 years old were in the home at the time of the fire. Some were found unconscious.
Hunt’s bodycam video was shown in a press conference Tuesday afternoon, showing officers finding a man lying on the ground unconscious with a young girl pinned underneath him. Police believe the man was trying to carry the girl out of the home but collapsed. The officers were able to rescue both the girl and the man.
Unruh said the four officers who rushed into the home to rescue everyone were taken to a hospital.
Of the eight people trapped in the home, Unruh said three are in serious condition, three are in good condition, and two have been discharged.
Police Chief John Piggott said three of the officers hospitalized— Shingleton, Hunt, and Turk—had to be transferred to Detroit Receiving Hospital as their condition worsened from smoke inhalation and had to be on a ventilator. Bucaj is still in the hospital under observation.
“It just goes to show the dedication that our officers have every day,” said Piggott. “They go out there without a second thought to their own safety.”
“It’s selfless. I think it’s heroic and it just goes to the nature of the officers involved, and their dedication to service,” said Piggott.
Fire crews believe the fire may have started in one of the bedrooms. According to the fire chief, there were no working smoke alarms in the home.
The investigation into the fire is ongoing, with officials emphasizing the absence of working fire detectors in the home.
Authorities wanted to remind residents to regularly check their smoke detectors.
A family friend revealed that the family had just celebrated Eid Mubark at the Tawheed Center across the street, making the tragedy even more shocking.
As for the family’s condition, three members remain in critical condition, while three others are stable, and two have been discharged from the hospital.
The friend noted that the children’s conditions have been improving, and one of the parents has been able to speak.
While the family members were awake and talking, their breathing became more labored, leading to three individuals being classified as serious but stable.
Officers Shingleton, Hunt, and Turk are now on ventilators.
Shingleton is suffering from burns and smoke inhalation, while the others are experiencing smoke inhalation.
In a display of camaraderie, the officers first inquired about the family’s well-being before asking about their fellow officers.
Even in the moments where they’re lying in hospital beds getting treatment, their minds and hearts are not only with the family, but with their fellow officers.
