Taylor fire that killed elderly woman, daughter ruled accident

TAYLOR, Mich. (WJBK) - Witnesses near a Taylor house fire that killed and elderly woman and her adult said they initially thought they heard an explosion. Now, authorities say it was an accidental fire but the cause is still unknown.

The family of the victims are still trying to understand what happened but have left flowers on the front door to serve as a memorial on the home in the 6800 block of Buck Street.

"It was shocking and hard on everybody," said Terri Slayden. "They were both pretty immobile. So I and other neighbors would go over there once and a while to help with their trash."

Elderly woman and daughter killed in Taylor house fire

The fire started around 1 p.m. Wednesday and a neighbor across the street rushed to to try and help when she saw the flames. Her daughter ran to the home and tried to help but as soon as she got to the front door she realized something was terribly wrong.

Despite efforts made by neighbors and firefighters to save them, the fire claimed both of their lives.

"The smoldering smoke was so thick and the heat was intense so I couldn't enter," Slayden said.

2 killed in Taylor house explosion

"They found one lady in the bedroom, I said no there were two people in there believe me they found the second in the living room," said Debbie Miller.

The fire department said they had numerous reports of an explosion but now say there wasn't one.

Taylor's Fire Chief said all gas and electrical lines seemed in tact and calls the fire an accident. However, it's still under investigation.