Emergency responders swiftly reacted to a suspected house fire incident unfolding on the west side of Detroit during a Monday afternoon. According to Detroit Fire Chief James Harris, reports of a house explosion in the 16000 block of Sussex Street reached them at approximately 3:37 p.m.
Details revealed that a 28-year-old woman sustained minor injuries and cuts in the incident, although it remains uncertain whether she was an occupant of the house or merely in close proximity when the explosion occurred.
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As part of the ongoing investigation, gas services were promptly shut off for the entire block. The explosion itself left residents in shock and chaos, with vivid accounts of the event. Neighbor Roy Monroe described the moment, saying, “I was laying in bed watching TV when all of a sudden I heard this loud explosion. I said, ‘Lord have mercy,’ and I jumped up and ran downstairs to see if my wife was OK and got outside and saw that the house had blown up across the street.”
Adjacent neighbors, like Monroe’s, suffered significant damage to their homes due to the explosion. The shockwave was so intense that one resident mentioned jumping out of a window to escape. Others in the vicinity initially believed it was a bomb detonation, while children at play likened the noise to an earthquake.
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Some residents had reported smelling gas in the area in the days leading up to the incident. Despite previous assurances from DTE, who had conducted a check a few days ago and gave the “all clear,” gas odors persisted in the neighborhood. Roy Monroe contacted a realtor to convey the situation, hoping that a thorough investigation would uncover the cause. The house in question was vacant at the time, and fortunately, no one was inside when the explosion occurred, as confirmed by officials.