Croswell police officer, passerby save five from burning building in downtown Croswell Saturday

An off-duty cop and a passerby saved five people, including an infant, from a fire at two downtown Croswell businesses early Saturday morning. 

Shortly before 2 a.m., rescue crews responded to a report of a fire in an apartment above Smoker’s Paradise at 70 North Howard Avenue, city manager Sam Moore said.

The fire spread to the rest of the building and an adjacent building, occupied by Town and Country Realty, according to Moore. Both buildings were fully engulfed by flames.

Moore said Croswell police officer Zach Overstreet and passerby Eric Gomez used a ladder to help two adults, two teenagers and an infant in a second-story apartment of Smoker’s Paradise safely exit the building. 

All occupants of the buildings exited safely. There were no injuries. 

Both buildings were complete losses, Moore said.

Croswell, Elk Township, Applegate and Sandusky fire departments, as well as Sanilac County Sheriff, Croswell EMS and the Croswell Police Department responded to the scene. 

Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or at lfitzgeral@gannett.com.