Twin boys, grandmother killed in overnight house fire on Detroit's west side

DETROIT (WJBK) - Fire investigators are working to learn what caused a deadly fire at a home on the city's west side early Tuesday morning.

Three-year-old twin boys and their 46-year-old grandmother were killed in the fire. A fourth victim, a 4-year-old child, was taken to Children's Hospital in Detroit with burns and is in critical condition.

The fire started around 1 a.m. at a home in the 12000 block of Lahser Road, which is just south of Seven Mile Road. Deputy Fire Commissioner David Fornell says 12 people were living inside the house.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but authorities say it appears to have started accidentally in the home's kitchen.

Everyone got ou except for the grandmother and the twins, who were upstairs.

"It appeared they were trying to escape; the grandmother had one of the twins in her arms and she was trying to escape when she fell," Fornell says. Names of the victims have not yet been given.

Fornell says at least one working smoke detector was in the house, but believes the victmis were just overcome by smoke and couldn't get out in time.

Neighbors say the grandmother and the twins are like family, and everyone enjoyed playing outside with them.