Police pull woman from burning house
Police rescued an elderly Royal Oak woman from her burning home after she lost consciousness and fell to the floor near a side door.
City police were the first to respond to the house in the 700 block of Magnolia after a neighbor called 911 about 9 p.m. April 7.
Royal Oak fire officials said Monday the woman, 74, is still hospitalized in serious but stable condition as their investigation continues.
Police said the woman’s husband, 81, and their dog got out of the house safely and were outside when they arrived shortly before firefighters.
“The husband was outside and told officers his wife was still inside the house,” said Royal Oak police Lt. Albert Carter. “The husband said his wife was inside at the side door. Officers kicked the door in and the woman was on the floor behind the door.”
Police quickly pulled the woman out and put her on her side on the lawn as they
administered first aid.
“She regained consciousness once they got her out,” Carter said.
Fire officials said the woman suffers from an undisclosed medical problem. She was taken to the hospital after firefighters arrived and gave her further aid and oxygen.
The house has a crawl space area and Royal Oak Fire Marshal Shawn Lambouris said Monday that most of the damage from the blaze was in the living and dining rooms.
“The fire blew out the
windows at the front of the house,” he said.
Firefighters are still investigating what sparked the accidental fire, which caused an estimated $100,000 in damage to the house, but have yet to pinpoint the source of the fire.
“It’s hard to say yet,” what caused it, Lambouris said. “There are multiple electrical outlets in the living room and dining room, also one of the occupants of the house smokes. We can’t rule out any of those things.”