SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — One person has died and at least three others were injured after a fire broke out at a condominium complex in Southfield on Monday.
The complex, Le Chateau, is located off of Southfield Road just north of 10 Mile Road. The fire started around 2:15 p.m.
7 News Detroit sent a crew to the scene. Video from our Southfield tower camera showed a large plume of black smoke and flames shooting up from one of the condo buildings.
See video from Chopper 7 below:
A person who was previously unaccounted for has died, the fire chief said.
Another person was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Two other people were treated at the scene.
"We're just now trying to go into the second phase of trying to make sure that the fire is out, then make sure that everybody's accounted for and make sure that the residents are getting the care and attention that they need to move on from this tragic day ..." Southfield Fire Chief Johnny Menefee said Monday afternoon.
The fire, which started on the second floor of the 16-unit building, has been contained. The cause is unknown at this time and is under investigation.
See video from our tower cam below:
Ignacio "Nacho" Lagunes was working outside near the complex when he reported hearing a loud boom coming from building.
"And then that's when I see all the smoke and then I started yelling to see if it was somebody over there. The ceiling was dropping down and it was a lot of smoke, so I went out and I started knocking on each door that I could. And then I went down in the basement... and I got two ladies out."
Lagunes and someone working with him helped Jackie Mansfield and her 95-year-old mother Ethel Graham. Mansfield said the two men saved their lives.
"Because we would not have known. We were in the back, our unit is in the back. And so we didn't get any smoke or anything in there, so everything looked normal," Mansfield said. "I just thank him so much because had he not called, we would've have known until it got worse."
See more video from our tower cam below:
"Everybody's been so helpful... and helping you and seeing that you have what you need or what you think you need or whatever," Graham said.
Lagunes said, "My heart is still going 100 an hour, but I feel happy for them. They're such nice ladies."
