Warren, Michigan saw a swift response from local authorities after a fire broke out in an office building, prompting the evacuation of 11 special-needs children. The fire began yesterday morning at the Michigan Head and Neck Institute, located on 11 Mile Road near Ryan Road. Smoke and flames were initially spotted coming from the ceiling and attic of the suite housing the institute, which led to emergency calls and immediate action.
Adjacent to the institute was Trumpet Behavioral Health, a provider of services for children with autism. Upon noticing the smoke, the staff evacuated all 11 children as a precaution, CBS News Detroit reported. To provide a secure and comfortable haven for the children, the Warren Police Department collaborated with the city's Parks and Recreation Department to secure an air-conditioned bus, where the kids stayed until their parents could retrieve them, no injuries were reported during the incident.
The fire department was on the scene within four minutes, according to the release from the fire and police departments, as per FOX 2 Detroit. Officials were successful in containing the blaze, preventing it from entirely consuming the building. Police officers contributed by managing traffic and securing the area as the situation unfolded.
The cause of the fire has been attributed to a faulty space heater that repeatedly tripped an electrical circuit, causing moderate damage to the building. Following the incident, DTE Energy arrived to disconnect the electricity to the building as a safety measure, an investigation that was detailed by reports from WWJ Newsradio 950. The collaborative effort between the Warren Fire Department, the police, and the parks and recreation officials was deemed "instrumental in minimizing damage to the building and ensuring the safety of everybody involved," a press release from the police department claimed.
