Detroit Police Investigate Deadly Apartment Fire
DETROIT (WWJ) - A 53-year-old Detroit man burned to death in an early-morning fire in an apartment fire on the city's east side.
Fire officials say fire broke out between 2:30 and 3 a.m. Wednesday in Trennece Mallory's upstairs studio apartment at the Parker House complex off East Jefferson Avenue, near Van Dyke Street.
The man's pit bull also died from heavy smoke in the bedroom.
Arson Unit Captain Patrick McNulty said there's nothing that leads them to believe the fire was intentionally set.
"We're looking at accidental causes. He was a smoker, it appears he may have been sitting in a chair, but other than that we're still looking at it," McNulty said.
A neighbor said he didn't realize there were any problems before it was too late.
"I didn't hear the dog barking. I didn't hear any smoke detectors or anything. I didn't hear anything but the firemen making noise, yelling at each other where to go and stuff," he said. "That's what woke me up ... the voices."
No one living in five other occupied apartments was injured.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. An investigation is ongoing.
