Detroit home explosion hospitalizes six; pit bull rescued

Six people and a pit bull were rescued from a Detroit home explosion that officials said was sparked by natural gas.

The explosion Saturday evening reduced the home to rubble and put six people in the hospital.

Deputy fire commissioner David Fornell told The Detroit News that first-responders were dispatched to the 14400 block of Evergreen Road at about 7:20 p.m. “It was definitely an explosion,” Fornell said.

Fornell said the six injured people range in age from 30 to 40 and were hospitalized for burn injuries. He said two victims also were being treated for smoke inhalation.

Detroit home explosion:
‘Intense’ search for pit bull

Rescue crews didn’t stop working until they were able to remove a pit bull that had been caught in the blast and trapped underneath debris.

“There was a ton of people trying to dig her out from underneath the debris,” said Theresa Sumpter, the director and founder of rescue group Detroit Pit Crew. “It was very intense.”

Sumpter was live on Facebook for part of the 45-minute search, as firefighters and other rescue workers navigated in the dark on uneven and unstable ground.

“People were literally just throwing bricks off of her,” “Sumter said. “I saw people picking up a microwave and getting it off of her. There was shingles, anything that would come off a house, siding. All of that was on top of her.”

The dog was found alive, responsive, and very happy to see people, and she was taken to Advanced Animal Emergency to be checked out. Staff at the hospital, unable to contact the dog’s owners, have deemed her “Miracle.”

Veterinarian Dr. Alex Pollock said Miracle suffered a fractured pelvis but won’t need surgery, and should recover fully. Despite breathing smoke and soot, her lungs are fine.

“Imagine how many pounds of weight it was,” Sumter said. “All that fell on her quickly. That she didn’t sustain more injuries … she is truly a miracle.”

Detroit home explosion:
Investigation ongoing