WESTLAND, Mich.
--
A fire overnight Friday at a Westland apartment has claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy and his 13-year-old brother, police said.
Firefighters were called to an apartment in the 36000 block of Palmer Road around midnight.
We heard the alarm go off next door and heard the beeping, then heard everyone running down the stairs, said neighbor Jenna Buck.
Neighbor Jerry Steigerwald said it was the screams of the boys mother that woke him up.
The mother of course was outside and she was hysterical, screaming, he said. She kept screaming, My babies, my babies.
Fire investigators said 11-year-old Blake Williams and his 13-year-old brother Xavyer were found on their bedroom floor.
Xayver was revived and rushed to Children's Hospital, where he later died.
Blake died at the scene.
Police said the boys mother escaped the fire unharmed, while a male friend in his mid-30s suffered second-degree burns and broken ribs.
Investigators said a preliminary investigation revealed that a heat lamp started something in the apartment on fire. The fire did not spread to other apartment units.
Buck said the boys were well-behaved and good neighbors.
He was always the one to help us out, take out groceries, and play with the dog. He was just really nice, she said. Sad, so sad. He was the nice one.
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