Officers help Escanaba family escape apartment fire

ESCANABA — On Wednesday, February 13th, at approximately 4:37 p.m., Delta County Central Dispatch received a 911 call of a structure fire with occupants still inside the residence. The fire was in the upstairs apartment that was occupied by an Escanaba couple and three infant children. Officers assisted the couple with the rescue of the infants who were subsequently evaluated by Rampart EMS personnel.

Firefighters made an aggressive attack in an east utility room of the upstairs apartment and were able to extinguish the fire quickly. Fire and smoke damage was contained to the east utility room with minimal water damage. The quick action of the female occupant to close the door to the room where the fire started after being alerted by smoke alarms is credited for minimizing the potential disaster that could have occurred.

Escanaba Public Safety would also like to thank bystanders for their assistance in shoveling around a hydrant to allow officers to perform their firefighting duties quicker. The cause of the fire was determined to be a discarded cigarette that fell into a small garbage can in the utility room causing paper products to ignite. Escanaba Public Safety was assisted by Rampart EMS, Delta County Sheriff department, Delta County Central Dispatch, The Red Cross, and bystanders willing to shovel snow from the hydrant.