Young brothers save little children from burning Detroit home

Image 1 of 4

A house fire on Ardmore Street in Detroit became a scary situation for five children inside Tuesday.
 
"I had to hurry up and grab her, there wasn't any time." said Jamill City. "(It was a fire) there was no time."

Jamill, 15, says he was inside the house with his 11-year-old neighbor, and his neighbor's three younger siblings with no parents home at the time.

"He was eating cereal and we were getting ready to go to the store and the alarm went off," said Jamill. "The little boy was upstairs and we didn't know what was on fire. We were just thinking they were playing around."

The Detroit Fire Department called as smoke began to fill the home's upper level. Jamill says he and his younger neighbor ran to save the others. His little sister was terrified and hid under a bed.

"Her little brother tried to get her but he couldn't get her out, he was too weak," Jamill said. "I had to get her out, had to get her to the door and bring her downstairs and walk her across the street safe."

The five kids watched as the thick smoke turned to flames. 

"That's extreme due to the angle of the roof," said Capt. James Powell III, Detroit fire.

Firefighters battled the blaze but also, the scorching summer heat Tuesday.

"That's stressful on the heart," Powell said. "Of course firemen have been known to have heart attacks. It is definitely a strenuous task."

While Detroit fire crews say they can't determine the exact cause of the fire, they do say it appears to be accidental and they believe one of those kids may have been playing with matches.

When the fire was put out, neighbors and Jamill were thankful they all made it out safely. Detroit police was also called and the mother of four was taken to be questioned.

Child Protective Services is also investigating asking why these children were left alone. 

"It's kind of great to see firefighters in action," Jamill said. "They're sacrificing their lives. I look at them like heroes."