3 kids dead in Michigan house fire where smoke alarms were not working, authorities say
DETROIT — Three children are dead after a fire at a suburban Detroit home with no working smoke alarms, authorities said.
One child called 911 shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday to report a fire at the home in West Bloomfield Township, a northwestern suburb of Detroit, said Fire Marshal Byron Turnquist. The child, one of three siblings, said they could not escape the fire, according to Turnquist.
Fire crews arrived on the scene and forced their way through the locked front door of the single-family home, Turnquist said. They found the three children inside.
The fire was contained to the first floor, but there was heavy smoke and heat throughout the home, Turnquist said. Two children were found on the first floor, and one was on the second floor.
All three — a 16-year-old girl, a 15-year-old boy, and a 12-year-old boy — were taken to nearby hospitals but died, officials said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation but Turnquist confirmed there were no working smoke alarms in the house.
"We need everyone to take some time and test their smoke alarms," he said. " ... Every second counts when you need to get out."
Community members urged to support each other
After the deaths, family and community members should also check in with each other, Turnquist added. West Bloomfield Fire Department members will be doing so after the losses.
"It's difficult," Turnquist said. "We don’t wish this on anybody."
One of the victims was a junior at West Bloomfield High School and the two others were the high schooler's siblings, West Bloomfield School District confirmed. Those two children attended Farmington Public Schools.
Both districts sent a letter to parents that confirmed the tragic loss of their students and offered students mental health support and counseling.
"During this difficult time, it is important that we come together as a community and support the family involved and one another. The most important thing we can do is love our kids and one another," the letter said. "Hug your loved ones and let them know you are there for them."
Fire officials advise the public to check smoke alarms
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the risk of dying in a home fire is cut by 60% in homes with working smoke alarms.
About three out of five fire deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms, the National Fire Protection Association said. In addition, about 38% of home fire deaths are due to fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
A September 2024 Consumer Product Safety Commission survey revealed that while nearly all U.S. households have at least one smoke alarm, "many households have inaccurate perceptions about the age and functionality" of their alarms, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
People should test their smoke alarms monthly, replace alarms over 10 years old, place alarms on every floor, and ensure alarms are outside and inside every bedroom, the West Bloomfield Fire Department said in a news release.
The department also advised residents to plan and practice escapes in case of a fire, and Turnquist said residents should know multiple exits in their homes.
Contributing: Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press; Thao Nguyen, Paste BN