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.

MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee woman says she has been without her car for almost a week after what she claims was an unfair towing incident from an apartment complex, leaving her with a $400 bill.

“It’s been pretty terrible,” Pappalardo said.

Ashley Pappalardo’s car was towed from the Parkview Apartment lot near Silver Spring and Highway 100 on Thursday morning. Her sister was driving the vehicle at the time and says there was confusion about where to park due to different property ownership.

According to Department of Revenue records, the building had just been sold to new ownership that same day. A sign posted near the entrance warns that non-residents will be towed.

Watch: Milwaukee woman claims predatory towing left her with hundreds in fees

Milwaukee woman claims predatory towing left her with hundreds in fees after apartment complex confusion

Pappalardo said that during conversations with the new management, they told her the towing shouldn’t have happened.

“She says we called and put any operations from them on hold until we can review a contract,” Pappalardo said. “I asked, ‘So they didn’t have any right to be on the property?’ She said no.”

Pappalardo says Brew City Towing and Recovery, which towed the vehicle, also confirmed to her that operations had been put on hold.

TMJ4 reporter Brendyn Jones attempted to speak to the property manager to clear up the confusion, but received no answer.

A sign indicated the office was closed because of new ownership. When Jones called the posted number and spoke with an Appleton Rental Homes representative, she declined to answer whether there was an active contract with Brew City and denied an interview request, saying Pappalardo should pay the fine.

At Brew City Towing, a worker instructed TMJ4 to call the office, but the voicemail box was full. Jones reached out to Brew City over the phone and by text, but received no answer from the people who have the car.

Pappalardo went to the police, who she said told her a small claims report might be her next step.

“Anyone who’s been in that civil lawsuit process understands it’s an incredibly long and grueling process for very little outcome,” Pappalardo said.

For now, she’s out of luck, hoping Brew City compromises.

This story was reported on-air by Brendyn Jones and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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The armed man and an officer who fired shots at him in Minneapolis last week have been identified by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

The BCA identified the suspect as 26-year-old Hanun Mohamed Awow and the Minneapolis police officer who fired his gun as Ariel Luna Sanchez.

Sanchez has three years of law enforcement experience and has been placed on critical incident leave, the BCA said.

Minneapolis police officer shoots at armed man, BCA investigating: MPD

According to the BCA, officers responded around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday to a 911 call from a resident on the 3000 block of Fifth Avenue South, who said a neighbor had pointed a gun at their mom.

The caller told Minneapolis police that the neighbor, later identified as Awow, had a handgun and went back into his apartment. Officers went to Awow’s apartment and he opened the door and stepped out with a gun in his hand.

Police shouted for him to drop the gun and that’s when Sanchez fired shots, the BCA says.

Awow, who was not injured, was taken into custody by police. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said last week that he believed Awow was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

BCA crime scene personnel recovered a handgun from the scene and body cameras worn by officers.