WYOMING, Mich. — Three people, including one child, were pulled from the third story of a burning apartment complex in Wyoming on Monday night.
The Wyoming Fire Department responded to the Crossroads Apartments around 8:45 p.m. on January 19 for a reported fire. Crews found quickly spreading flames at the back of the building.
Firefighters also learned there were people trapped on the third floor. Using an extension ladder, firefighters rescued two adults, one child, and a pet cat through a window.
All three people were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, but they are expected to survive.
The fire proved difficult to put out because part of the building collapsed and the night's frigid temperatures. An excavator helped crews directly attack hot spots buried under the rubble, according to the Wyoming Fire Department.
Several other departments assisted in the effort, including fire departments from Kentwood, Grandville, Gaines Township, and Byron Township. Residents who could not stay in the building and needed emergency shelter were bused to Wyoming Public Schools, which provided a bus for transportation.
The Wyoming Fire Department said this fire should remind everyone to have an emergency escape plan to follow if you experience a fire or other disaster.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Anyone with information on the fire is asked to contact the Wyoming Fire Marshal at (616) 257-9764.
