(photos courtesy of City Manager Sam Moore)
(SANILAC COUNTY) – Croswell Police Officer Zachary Overstreet and Eric Gomez, a passerby in the right place at the right time, are credited for saving the lives of five people trapped in a burning building that erupted into a five-alarm fire early Saturday morning in downtown Croswell.
According to police, Officer Overstreet received a call from Central Dispatch around 1:30 a.m. of possible flames in the downtown business district.
Overstreet saw flames coming from the second floor apartment above Smoker’s Paradise where two juveniles, two adults and an infant were trapped in the apartment, yelling out a window for help and the fire department.
According to authorities, the occupants were unable to use the stairs due to the fire that had them cut off. Officer Overstreet and Gomez quickly found a ladder and a truck which they used to rescue the occupants.
Croswell EMS transported the apartment occupants to the hospital as a precaution, however no injuries were reported.
Upon arrival of first fire units, Smoker’s Paradise and the adjacent building, Town and Country Realty, were fully engulfed in flames and eventually, completely destroyed in the fire.
Town and Country Realty building is known to many as the former Ed’s Bakery and Antonio’s Sub Shop, which were popular businesses in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Croswell, Lexington, Applegate, Sandusky and Elk Township fire departments as well as Croswell EMS, Croswell Police and Sanilac County Sheriff responded to the scene. Aerial ladder trucks from Croswell and Sandusky were used to fight the fire.
Due to the fire, Croswell Light & Power responded and electricity on N Howard Avenue was shut down for a short time.
Fire departments were on the scene for approximately six hours and the fire remains under investigation.
