DETROIT – Detroit fire officials are investigating multiple house fires that broke out Tuesday morning, including a blaze that destroyed two vacant homes and damaged one family’s home on Dwyer Street.
The fire started around 1 a.m. in a vacant house, leveling it before spreading to a neighboring vacant property and then damaging the home of Joel Whitner and his family.
Whitner described how his family woke up to the sound of neighbors pounding on their door.
“When we walked out the door, the wind gusts and the fire just kind of like blew us back,” Whitner said, describing the intensity of the blaze.
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The family’s home has significant damage, including water damage throughout the interior and damage to the roof.
The family lost Christmas gifts, furniture, and clothing in the fire.
A GoFundMe has been started to help support the family.
In a separate incident around 3 a.m., firefighters responded to another residential fire on Ashland Street, where a family of 15 evacuated safely after a space heater caught fire in an upstairs bedroom and spread to the attic.
“I grabbed my fire extinguisher, and I started spraying it right there, and that made it go up more, so I ran to the attic and started spraying in the attic,” said Jerome Hill. “Keep a fire extinguisher by your bed because if I didn’t have that by my bed, there’s no telling what would’ve happened.”
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It comes after a house fire that killed a 6-year-old girl on Sunday (Dec. 14) and another fire that killed three on Monday.
Fire officials say space heaters are responsible for four out of five home heating-related fire deaths.
The Detroit Fire Department is reminding families of home heating safety tips.
Captain Edward Davis emphasized the importance of having a safety plan in place in case of an emergency.
“You want to create a fire safety plan for your home in the event of an emergency,” Davis said. “What are two ways to get out of the room, out of the home – where are our families meeting up? How do we alert other members in the home?”
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The department’s safety guidelines for space heaters include:
Place heaters on flat, stable surfaces
Keep heaters at least three feet away from combustible items
Plug heaters directly into wall outlets
Turn off heaters when leaving rooms or going to sleep
Keep heaters clear of walkways and exits
The department is also reminding families of important carbon monoxide safety tips:
Install carbon monoxide alarms low to the ground, near gas furnaces, dryers, or heaters.
Test CO detectors monthly and replace them every five to seven years.
Avoid using a stove, oven, or grill as a heat source.
Keep gas and charcoal grills outdoors only—never in garages or enclosed spaces.
Hire only qualified professionals to inspect or repair heating systems, fireplaces, and chimneys.
Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Several parents said they were unaware of any problems at the school
DETROIT – Videos and photos sent to the station show standing water and buckets inside Carleton Elementary School on Detroit’s east side, and an anonymous source says students were expected to attend class even as the water pooled in hallways.
The source also said the water smelled like sewage.
Several parents said Wednesday they were unaware of any problems at the school, though one said the building flooded last week and that students were given the day off.
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The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department said it received a complaint of water backing up at the school last Friday and determined the problem was private.
Crews were seen working at the school on Wednesday (March 11) afternoon.
The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) was contacted for comment; the newsroom is awaiting a response.
The school’s principal said the district is working on building issues, but there was no flood on Wednesday.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
A 4Warn Weather Alert has been issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit following overnight thunderstorms.
A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. on March 11, prompting a 4Warn Weather Alert as rounds of rain and storms move across the region during the morning commute and through midday.
Full forecast –> Wild weather: Heavy rain leading to flood concerns in Metro Detroit
What is a 4Warn Weather Alert?
We issue a 4Warn Weather Alert when we’re expecting weather conditions that will be inconvenient to our viewers.
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Why did we issue an alert for Wednesday morning?
Early Wednesday morning, thunderstorms were rolling through Metro Detroit. While severe weather was a possibility overnight, most storms in Southeast Michigan remained below severe limits. Stronger storms developed across West Michigan earlier, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for the Saginaw area.
Meanwhile, parts of the Thumb and Mid-Michigan are dealing with freezing rain and icy conditions, while Northern Michigan is under Ice Storm Warnings, including Alpena.
The biggest concern in Southeast Michigan Wednesday morning is heavy rainfall.
Several rounds of rain could produce localized flooding, especially in areas that typically collect water, such as low-lying neighborhoods, underpasses and roads with poor drainage.
A Flood Watch is in effect for most of Southeast Michigan through 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (WDIV)
Flood safety tips
Drivers should be cautious of standing water on roadways. Even shallow water can hide hazards or stall vehicles Here is an important rule during flood events: Turn around, don’t drown.
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Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road.
Just a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away. Drivers should never attempt to cross flooded roadways and should seek alternate routes if water covers the road. (WDIV)
Heavy rain can also lead to basement flooding in some homes. Residents are encouraged to check sump pumps, clear nearby drains if possible and monitor lower levels of their homes for water intrusion during prolonged rainfall.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
The free agency tampering period has begun for the NFL, and the Detroit Lions are among the active teams acquiring players as they try to get back to the playoffs after they did not meet their own standard for last season.
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On Monday, it was revealed that 2025 Lions backup quarterback Kyle Allen was heading to Buffalo, leaving another hole in the roster to fill. Nearly 24 hours later, that hole has been filled, as veteran quarterbackTeddy Bridgewater is heading back to Motown.
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Bridgewater spent the 2023 season with Detroit, in what initially was going to be his final season in the league.
However, after coaching Miami Northwestern Senior High School to a state championship in Florida during the 2024 season, he announced he was planning to unretire, and Detroit picked him up for their push towards the top seed in the NFC.
Bridgewater then resigned as head coach at Miami Northwestern and signed with Tampa Bay to backup Baker Mayfield last season.
He appeared in four games last season, throwing 15 passes for the Buccaneers, which were his first NFL pass attempts since 2022.
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Bridgewater is a safe option at backup quarterback in Detroit, as the former Rookie of the Year has had a steady career since entering the league with Minnesota out of Louisville in 2014.
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Bridgewater returns to back up Jared Goff under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, as this is a situation where Detroit stuck with a player they knew. For Petzing, this is not the first time coaching Teddy Bridgewater, as he was an offensive assistant with Minnesota when they drafted Bridgewater in 2014.
A leg injury derailed his career after a Pro Bowl season in 2015, but he has started 37 games since the injury as a journeyman. Bridgewater left Minnesota and Drew Petzing and would overlap with Dan Campbell when the quarterback played for New Orleans in 2018 and 2019. In addition to Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, Bridgewater has also played for Carolina, Denver, and Miami.
Detroit stuck with a safe and familiar option in Bridgewater, as a majority of their offense, alongside most of their offensive staff, have worked with the quarterback before. If Bridgewater is turned to in any situation, there will be full confidence in the Louisville product to make the right play.
NFL Draft Implications
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This puts Detroit in a unique position when looking ahead towards the NFL Draft, as a popular mock draft pick for Detroit was taking a quarterback, with Cole Payton, Luke Altmyer, and Taylen Green all being among the names mentioned.
Bridgewater is an excellent mentor alongside Goff, but having three quarterbacks on the Lions roster after injury-riddled campaigns in the last two seasons may not be the wisest allocation of a roster spot.
For the time being, Detroit has their backup quarterback for the season, and there is not a better option than Bridgewater when it comes to familiarity and adaptability. While the former Pro Bowl quarterback has yet to throw a pass in Detroit, he has the familiairity and trust of the coaching staff to be a backup entering a pivotal year.
