Detroit police say the blaze, which is being investigated as a possible arson fire, may be linked to an alleged sexual assault reported at 5 a.m. Wednesday.Fire Commissioner Jonathan Jackson said police were earlier called to the complex overnight for "a party that resulted in an altercation." Arson investigators were on the scene as was the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The massive blaze with towering flames is at 21630 Jason St. near Schoolcraft, just off the Jeffries Freeway.
Robert Allen gives these details at the Free Press' website:
Firefighters rescued about 25 people, and four people were taken from the scene by ambulance. A school bus was brought to the scene to give residents a makeshift shelter.
“A lot of people were half-naked,” said Doug Woodcock, who works at a nearby building supplier. “We gave them shoes.” . . .
Detroit Fire Commissioner Jonathan Jackson said the fire started shortly after 6 a.m. on the north side of the Jason Manor Apartments. Police had been called to that side earlier last night to deal with a disturbance at a party, he said.
Jackson said the building is a total loss. There were 42 units, 39 of which were occupied.
At least seven people are unaccounted for, according to an on-scene tweet from Shawn Ley of WDIV. "Investigators say residents are scattered & it's difficult to find everyone," he adds.
At least three residents are injured, according to Lery's station. "People were jumping to safety, still in their pajamas," WXYZ reports.
School buses took residents to a nearby church, Tony Briscoe of The Detroit News tweets. At his paper's website, Briscoe paraphrases Fire Commissioner Jackson as saying the fire and "a party that resulted in an altercation" could be linked. Arson investigators are on the scene.
WDIV posts 13 dramatic aerial photos at its website and adds a detail about the pre-fire police event: "Detroit police had been at the same building earlier Wednesday morning investigating a criminal sex case."
Shawn Ley of that station tweets that police responded around 4 a.m. to a rape complaint from an all-night party. Two hours later, the building was ablaze.
#Detroit: Firefighters say it may take cadaver dogs to detect if anyone did not get out of the apartment building. pic.twitter.com/9lct5Tn1WR
— Shawn Ley (@ShawnLeyLive) March 5, 2014
#Detroit Firefighters, heroes - saving 25 people including this 57 year old cancer patient. #Local4Today pic.twitter.com/8VYQ2kwbpv
— Shawn Ley (@ShawnLeyLive) March 5, 2014
This article is being updated regularly with fresh information.
-- Alan Stamm