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.

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.”

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?”

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.

• In three days, two fatal fires and multiple other fires were reported in Detroit.
• An electrical incident is believed to have caused one fatal fire.
• Fire officials ask that residents make fire safety plans and take precautions with devices like space heaters.
• Those facing housing and heating concerns can call the Detroit Housing Resource HelpLine at 866-313-2520.

A fire that claimed three lives in Detroit began with an electrical incident, officials say. Now, in the wake of that deadly blaze, another fatal fire and multiple other recent blazes – including one that injured a firefighter − Detroit fire officials are urging residents to take fire safety steps this holiday season.

Four people died across two fires on Sunday, Dec. 14, and Monday, Dec. 15, in the city, and firefighters tackled three housefires that displaced residents in the early morning hours on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

A cause was not yet available for the Dec. 14 fire that killed a 7-year-old boy, originally reported by officials as a 6-year-old girl. That fire took place in the 12000 block of Rutherford Street, near Greenfield Road, and also left a woman critical and a 4-year-old with smoke inhalation.

In the case of the Dec. 15 fire, more details were beginning to emerge.

A man, a woman and a teen girl all died after a house fire reported about 6 a.m. in the 19000 block of Wildemere Street, near Detroit’s Palmer Park and off 7 Mile Road. An elderly woman was also critical after the fire.

Clutter in the house slowed down rescue efforts, officials previously said.

And speaking to the media on Tuesday, Dec. 16, Fire Investigation Division Chief Dennis Richardson said an electrical event caused the fire, and combustibles in the house contributed to the blaze.

DETROIT (FOX 2) – A Detroit man was run over not once, but twice, all on video. Many might remember the incident from last summer but on Monday there was a big break in the case.

Big picture view:

It’s the first holiday without Darnell Scott, who was killed in a hit-and-run in the summer of 2024 on Detroit’s east side. You might remember a video showing him getting hit and neither driver stopped.

These cases can be tough to solve, but the Detroit Police fatal squad painstakingly pieced together footage from Green Light cameras and license plate readers, leading them to Daryl Rice in November.

He is now charged and was given a personal bond, which means he’s out for now.

“I honestly didn’t give up hope because we stay praying about it,” said the victim’s twin sister, Dana Scott.

The family is sickened by the damning evidence. Apparently, Rice made a false insurance claim on his car after the hit-and-run, lied about how the damage happened, but in the process, police say he incriminated himself.

The family wants others to hold out hope.

“Don’t give up, because it can happen, your wishes and answers can come true,” said Dana.