(WXYZ) — Two Detroit firefighters have been released from the hospital after a house fire and collapse injured eight on Thursday.
The house was reduced to a pile of debris and arson is believed to be the cause.
There is now a $25,000 reward for anyone who knows who set the fire.
Several fires have been set on the street and in the area over the past several days. Federal agencies like the ATF are now also on the case.
Some of the homes in the area have been abandoned and vacant for years. Often, the only people inside might be homeless.
Officials say three were trapped inside a vacant home near 7 Mile and Hollywood that was likely set on fire Thursday in northeast Detroit. Two firefighters were able to get out on their own, and a third had to be rescued.
He's a 25-year veteran lieutenant.
The search and rescue effort took more than an hour for firefighters to rescue one of their own when the abandoned, vacant house burned and collapsed.
“Originally there was three trapped. There were three firefighters trapped, they immediately removed two,” said Chuck Simms, Detroit Executive Fire Commissioner.
He was wheeled out on a gurney, conscious, talking and we learned, after the police escort to the hospital is in good spirits.
“He's doing great. He was actually cracking jokes, and laughing so that's a good sign,” said Simms.
The union president is a personal friend of the lieutenant and says there are no serious injuries for all of the eight firefighters injured.
“Just shaken up, beat up. There's some cuts and bruises. Couple guys lost some teeth. A couple scrapes. On the head and stuff. Some twisted knees. But it could have been a lot worse,” said Simms.
The Detroit Fire union president tells 7 Action News none of the firefighters had serious injuries.
"Just shaken up, beat up. There's some cuts and bruises, couple guys lost some teeth. Couple scrapes on the head and stuff, some twisted knees, but it could have been a lot worse. But again, just a great group of guys and they're doing a great job out there," said Tom Gehart, Detroit Firefighters Association president.
We’ve learned the highest-ranking fire official on the scene makes the call to go inside.
“You pull up on scene, and you don't know if someone's in there or not, as you said, so they make those decisions,” said Tom Gehart, Detroit Firefighters Association President.
Some questions are being raised about going into a burning vacant house with no report of someone being trapped inside, and whether that is the standard protocol.
