PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Police officers rushed to a burning house to rescue two elderly residents from an apartment fire in Plymouth Township.

Plymouth Township Police officers responded to reports of an apartment fire with two people trapped at 1:02 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in the 40350 block of Newport Drive.

According to Plymouth Township Police Chief James H. Knittel Jr., when officers arrived, they saw a large amount of smoke coming from inside the home and quickly confirmed that people were trapped inside.

Officers forced their way through the front door where they found a man bleeding from the face and arm. The police entered the house and made sure that the man got out safely. When the police learned that the man’s wife was still in the house, they went back in and rescued her.

Knittel said officers were able to rescue both residents within five minutes of arriving at the scene of the fire.

“I am incredibly proud of our officers. They risked their own safety to enter a burning and smoke-filled house, where they removed two trapped senior citizens. These heroic actions exemplify the courage of our officers and ultimately saved the lives of two senior citizens who live in this community.”

Both residents were taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries. The officers were treated at the scene by fire personnel for smoke inhalation.