Anna Chavez and her family were dramatically rescued from a third‑floor apartment fire in Wyoming, Mich., on Jan. 19 after firefighters extended a 35‑foot ladder to a smoke‑filled window. Chavez says she and her sister attempted to use tied bed sheets and were preparing to jump before crews arrived. The infant niece, Chavez, her sister and the family cat escaped, but all possessions were lost and Chavez reports ongoing anxiety and panic attacks. Chavez expressed deep gratitude to the firefighters who carried them to safety.
“I Thought I Was Going to Die”: Anna Chavez and Family Rescued From Third‑Floor Blaze in Wyoming, Mich.
The Wyoming Fire DepartmentFootage of the Wyoming apartment fire rescue
Anna Chavez, her sister, an infant niece and the family cat were pulled to safety from a third‑floor apartment as flames and thick smoke poured from the unit at the Crossroads Apartments on Clyde Park Avenue SW in Wyoming, Mich., on the evening of Jan. 19.
Helmet‑Cam Footage Captures Dramatic Rescue
Helmet‑camera video released by the Wyoming Fire Department and shared by the City of Wyoming shows crews extending a 35‑foot ladder to a smoke‑filled window while firefighters shouted instructions and reassured the family below. Chavez, who asked local outlets not to show her face, described how the situation escalated within seconds.
"Everything was really fast. I am just thinking, 'I am going to die in here,'" Chavez told NBC affiliate News‑8. "If they can save [my niece], it’s going to be okay because she’s a child and she’s little."
Frantic Escape Attempts
Chavez said she realized how serious the fire was when she opened her apartment door and saw heavy smoke and flames. With exits blocked, the family opened a window and prepared to jump. Chavez told Fox‑17 she and her sister even tried to tie bed sheets together to fashion a makeshift rope to climb down before rescuers reached them.
The Wyoming Fire DepartmentFirefighters rescue a family from a Wyoming apartment fire
"We was trying to leave from there. We was trying to jump," Chavez recalled.
Firefighters intercepted the attempt, imploring the family not to jump while they positioned the ladder. In the footage, Chavez’s sister passes the infant out the window and a firefighter gently carries the baby down, comforting her: "I got you, okay? It's okay. It's alright. We're going down."
Aftermath: Loss and Lingering Trauma
All family members and the cat were rescued, but Chavez said the fire destroyed their belongings. She described feeling profound sadness over the loss and ongoing anxiety since the blaze.
"I feel sad. I lost everything," Chavez told Fox‑17. "We hear like something, it was a little bit low, and I get scared. I have like a panic attack, and I was feeling nervous, because I remember everything."
Despite the trauma, Chavez repeatedly expressed gratitude to the Wyoming Fire Department and the rescuers who saved her family.
"I just want to say thank you. It saved my kids’ life, my niece’s life and my sister’s life," she told News‑8.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze. Local emergency services and social agencies are likely assisting the family with immediate needs after the loss of their possessions.
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