BANGOR, Mich. — One person was killed and four others were taken to the hospital after in a house fire in Bangor.
South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) says fire crews responded to a structure fire on Third Street around 8:25 a.m. on Tuesday.
Christina Barnes, who lives next door, used to live in that house until just last year. She witnessed the fire, saying that she had two family members inside.
“I stuck my head out the window and I just seen flames shooting up the house. So I got my shoes on I ran outside to make sure everybody was safe I saw my Aunt Tina jump on the second story window off the roof,” said Christina Barnes.
Barnes says her aunt and brother escaped the fire Tuesday morning, and she describes both as loving and caring individuals.
According to SHAES, one person died in the fire.
On Wednesday, Bangor Police confirmed that Evelyn Hitchcock, 32, was not able to escape the fire and passed away.
The two police officers who showed up first to the scene spotted people running out the back door.
They also saw a 55-year-old man in a wheelchair, trapped on the porch of the house. They quickly moved the man away from the house and brought him to safety.
Hoping to save more lives, Chief Webber and Officer Garcia risked their lives by going into the burning house.
“We were able to find a ladder from the neighbor's residence. We put it up on the house, climbed up on the roof. We were able to remove one victim from the roof,” Chief Webber said.
The officers were told that some people were still upstairs, inside the burning house.
According to Bangor Police, the officers tracked down and placed a ladder against the house, climbing to the roof and rescuing a 58-year-old woman.
Then, officers learned that a second woman was still in the upstairs bedroom. Again, they climbed the ladder and attempted to make entry into the bedroom, but the smoke and flames proved overwhelming.
Later, Bangor Police confirmed that six people had been inside the house while it burned. Three self-evacuated, and the 58-year-old woman and 55-year-old man were rescued.
Four occupants were taken to the hospital for treatment. Police said on Tuesday they have been released.
It’s not yet clear what caused the fatal fire. A state fire marshal and medical examiner have been requested.
SHAES says this is the third major structure fire in the Bangor area since Saturday.
