DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit arson investigators are trying to figure out if an early morning apartment fire was intentionally set.
"For it to burn like that, someone had to start something," said one man who said he had to run through flames in search of other apartments where there might be air he could breathe.
"We was, like, trapped," he said.
Firefighters were able to help him escape out of a window with one of their ladders. About three dozen people were inside the building when the fire started.
Eleven residents had to be rushed to area hospitals for smoke inhalation and other injuries, including Anitique Harrison, who broke her ankle and suffered spinal injuries, according to her sister.
"She said she heard the EMS coming and firefighters coming and was praying they got there in time to get her off the ledge, but by her having nails like mine, she couldn't hold on and slipped and hit the ground," said Anitique's sister, Tiffany Harrison.
Fire raced through the apartment building on LaSalle at Davison W around 3:40 AM Friday.
The fire comes a little more than a day after a young man was murdered and some residents believe the blaze had to have been intentionally set.
"Boy got killed the day before and all of a sudden, the next day, the building is on fire," Tiffany said.
Detroit Police said the shooter was arguing with a woman and opened fire, striking the young man who had nothing to do with their domestic dispute.
Anyone with information on the fire is urged to contact Detroit Arson investigators.
The search continues for the shooter who took the young man's life.
