2 Teens Hailed As Heroes For Saving Residents From Burning Apartment Building In Detroit
DETROIT (WWJ) - Residents in southwest Detroit say they likely would have died in a fire if it wasn't for two young men who saved them from certain fate.
The fire took off early Thursday morning at a multi-family brick home on Dragoon near Regular street, not far from I-75 and Livernois Avenue.
Teenagers Dalvin Cridell and Raul Lule were just going about their business when they saw the fire taking hold of the two-story building.
"I was just driving by on my way to his house and we see smoke and flames," Cridell told WWJ's Mike Campbell. "So, the first thing we do is pull over and dial 911. And then we start going to doors, knocking on them and seeing if people were in there because we see the air conditioning on."
Robert Villalpand and his wife Linda were sleeping inside. They rushed out of the building in their pajamas.
"We could smell smoke and we opened the door and you could see the whole place was on fire," added Robert Villalpand.
Linda Villalpand, who was visibly shaken after the incident, credited the teens with saving their lives.
"Those two young boys knocked on our door and told us to get out. They helped us come down the stairs and get out," she said.
The thought of being hailed a hero brought smiles across both of the teens' faces.
"You know, I was just thinking of maybe I could save someone's life, that maybe might turn into a reality -- and it did and I feel glad about it. It feels good," said Lule.
Investigators are now trying to determine a cause of the blaze. Firefighters on the scene said it was the fourth time they've been called to the building in recent weeks.
Resident Alfonso Ramirez said he's convinced the fire is drug-related.
"They started shooting up this place here and then they shoot up the next place there and it's been going on for the last two months," he said. "It is all drug-related, I can say that for a fact."
No injuries were reported. An investigation is ongoing.
