A house fire on Grand Rapids' north side sent two people to the hospital Saturday evening after a man became trapped inside and another adult got out on their own, with firefighters pulling the man from the main floor as flames poured from the single-story home. Two dogs were also rescued from the burning house, though a third pet remained unaccounted for when crews spoke with reporters at the scene.
The blaze broke out in the 600 block of Russwood Street NE, with the fire visible from outside the home by the time firefighters arrived, according to MLive. Crews on scene told WOOD TV8 that smoke was pouring from a home in the area of Russwood Street NE and College Avenue NE. Reports differ slightly on when firefighters were dispatched: FOX 17 says the Grand Rapids Fire Department was dispatched at 5:56 p.m., while a firefighters' union post cited by MLive put the call at around 5:57 p.m. Saturday.
Firefighters Reach Trapped Man on Main Floor
Engine 9, responding from the department's Plainfield Avenue station, arrived about three minutes after being dispatched, per FOX 17's report. Firefighters searched the house and worked to suppress the flames, finding a man on the main floor and removing him from the building. He received medical care at the scene before being taken to a hospital, the station reports.
A second adult who had been inside the house managed to get out on their own and was also treated before being transported to the hospital. Two people in total were hospitalized, and both received medical treatment either at the scene or afterward, according to the same FOX 17 account.
Two Dogs Rescued, Third Still Missing
Firefighters also removed two dogs from the home, and both received care at the scene, FOX 17 reports. A fire captain told the station that a third dog was believed to still be unaccounted for at the time. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and no further details on the residents or the extent of damage to the home have been released.
The Russwood Street fire comes amid a string of residential blazes around Grand Rapids this year.
