Woman rescued from Sturgis house fire currently in critical condition

A woman rescued from a house fire in Sturgis Tuesday night is currently in critical condition, according to the Sturgis Department of Public Safety.

Public Safety was dispatched to the 400 block of Center Avenue around 10:22 p.m. for a report of a structure fire. Dispatchers reported that a woman and child were trapped inside the home. As of Wednesday morning, neither the woman nor child have been publicly identified.

Police officers attempted to enter the second story of the home, where the woman and child were believed to be, but were turned back by heavy smoke and heat.

After arriving on the scene, firefighters discovered that the child had escaped the house, but the woman was still missing. Firefighters quickly entered the home from multiple points and found the victim on the first floor.

The woman was taken out of the house and found to be unresponsive. CPR was immediately initiated on scene, and she was transported to the Sturgis Hospital helipad to be flown to Bronson Methodist Hospital. The woman regained consciousness by the time of transport and is currently in critical condition.

Simultaneously to rescue efforts, additional firefighters extinguished the fire, preventing its further spread in the home. The residence’s first and second stories suffered significant smoke and fire damage.

The Sturgis Department of Public Safety Fire Marshal and the Michigan State Police Fire Marshal Division are investigating the fire’s cause and origin.

The Sturgis Department of Public Safety, St. Joseph County Central Dispatch, and Tri-Township Fire Department coordinated their efforts to arrive on the scene, enter the home, rescue the victim, and initiate CPR within 10 minutes of the 911 call.

Additional assistance came from the Michigan State Police, Sturgis Electric Department, St. Joseph County Victim Services, and Michigan Gas Utilities.