Southgate senior apartment fire sends 2 first responders, 3 residents to hospital

SOUTHGATE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Late into Tuesday evening, firefighters remain at the scene of a massive fire at a senior complex in Southgate.

There were no serious injuries, although some residents were taken to a nearby hospital but are expected to recover. The Red Cross posted on X, formerly Twitter, that at least 50 residents were displaced from the blaze. Residents impacted can call 1-800-RED-CROSS for more assistance.

The cause of the fire this afternoon at Meadows of Southgate senior apartment complex off Allen Road.

Someone called me and said the apartment was on fire," said resident Denise Samuels. "I got here - my dog was still in there. went in there. They told me 'You can't go in there,' and I went in there and I got my dog and I ran back out."

The complex is located on Allen Road — near Eureka. Firefighters, EMTs and police from all over the Downriver community came to help.

"There wasn’t nobody here yet when we came walking out and a bunch of Southgate cops they pulled up and all went running into the building," said James Hall who lives nearby.

They were able to get everyone out of the burning complex

"We had one firefighter and one police officer with smoke inhalation had to go to the hospital," said Southgate Fire Chief Justin Graves. "Three residents had to be transported to the hospital.

"You can see where it started, the second - middle floor the flames were coming out top - the balcony was on fire then it went up to the ceiling part," said Hall.

"It went up into the attic," Graves said. "And once it got up into the attic, above the fire suppression, above the sprinkler system, and it just chased around the building."

Not only did the fire spread quickly — it took a while for firefighters to get it under control.

Samuels broke the news on the phone to one of her neighbors.

"Do you think my cats are okay?" asked her friend over her speakerphone.

"No, your cats are gone babe, I think your cats are gone," Samuels said.

"I just feel sorry for everybody," Hall said. "Like the people who were sitting on my porch, they came over here to use the bathroom, other people were coming over here."