Oakland County deputies save woman from burning house

Kalea Hall
The Detroit News

Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies pulled a woman from the basement of her burning home before midnight Wednesday, officials said.

The 41-year-old woman, who was trying to save her pets in the basement, was one of four residents at the home in the 6500 block of Milford Road in Highland Township between White Lake and Chana roads.

A 41-year-old Highland Township woman was 
saved from her burning home by Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputies.

Deputies broke a small window to the basement and gained access to the woman to help her out of the home. The woman and the three other residents were taken to Ascension Genesys Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

A 41-year-old Highland Township woman was 
saved by Oakland County Sheriff’s Deputies after they pulled her from the basement of her burning home on Wednesday night.

The woman was in the basement because she was concerned about "exotic animals, birds, ferrets and other pets," the release said.

The $350,000 home was a total loss, a release said. The fire likely started when a family dog knocked over a heater in the garage, catching a bed of straw on fire, officials said.

Oakland County Sheriff's Deputies saved a woman from her burning Highland Township home on Wednesday.

 A pig and three dogs were saved from the home. Highland Township Fire Department extinguished the fire.

“The quick actions of these deputies saved this woman’s life,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement. “The fire was spreading rapidly throughout the garage and the living area of this home.

"Deputies quickly assessed the situation, found a safe way from the home and pulled her to safety, despite her reluctance to leave. We were able to save a few of the animals but more importantly, this woman is alive today. A Thanksgiving Day tragedy was avoided.”