DETROIT (WWJ) -- Detroit police are on the lookout for a serial arsonist after multiple fires sprouted up throughout the city this past week.
Detroit police believe the arsonist is to blame for five fires over the past three days, including one that sent eight firefighters to the hospital on Thursday.
Multiple firefighters got caught up in the Thursday fire after they were forced to make a dramatic rescue to save a 20-year fire department veteran who was trapped in the rubble after the house collapsed.
Live video from WXYZ's Chopper 7 at 2:30 p.m. showed more than a dozen firefighters digging through the rubble of a vacant home on W. Hollywood, in the area of 7 Mile and John R. roads on the city's east side.
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Speaking live on WWJ Newsradio 950, Detroit Fire Chief James Harris said the DFD responded swiftly to the scene. "The men and women of the Detroit Fire Department went to work instantly extinguishing this fire," he said. "Unfortunately, some firefighters were injured."
Officials said seven firefighters were transported for treatment of injuries and smoke inhalation, while others worked to dig out one remaining firefighter who was buried waist-deep.
By around 3 p.m., Harris said that the eighth firefighter had been pulled out and was rushed to the hospital.
Harris told WWJ on Friday that the eight firefighters who were injured are expected to be okay. So far, Harris said that six have been released from the hospital and the other two will hopefully be released soon.
Firefighters are going door-to-door in the neighborhoods, asking residents for any help to try and find the suspected serial arsonist.
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