Crews rescue elderly woman from Detroit house fire

DETROIT (FOX 2) - An elderly woman's rescue from a house fire in Detroit is serving as a reminder to her roommate and the rest of the city about the risks a blaze pose to homeowners, even in the winter.

The victim, a woman in her 60s, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after she was removed from her home. 

The burned-out home, located on Ferguson Street in northwest Detroit, suffered extensive fire damage. Carl Hodges was the woman's roommate and said everyone is okay. 

"I don’t have anywhere to go right now, but I’m glad that my friend - she’s okay," Hodges said. "I don’t know what to do from here."

Crews arrived around 11:30 a.m. Friday morning, used a ladder to scale the home to the second-story floor, and broke the window. From there, they were able to retrieve the woman. 

From there, the fire department put out the blaze. 

"She just woke up and the house was engulfed in smoke," Hodges  said. "The only thing she could do was get on out of there."

An investigation into the cause is still ongoing.

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The fire is a good reminder for all individuals to make sure one's smoke alarms are all working on every level of their home. That means inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. 

Additionally, alarms should be tested every month - and if they're not working, to change the batteries. 

Also speak with people who live together to discuss a fire escape plan and practice the plan twice a year.