Teenager dies in VBT fire Sunday morning

Belleville High School freshman Savion Robinson, 14, died in a house fire early Sunday morning after helping his family members escape the blaze.

Van Buren Township fire fighters were called to 47515 Denton Road at about 4 a.m. Sunday and when fire fighters arrived the home was fully engulfed in flames.

A family of two women and five children were living in the home and an 18-month-old child was pulled out the front door by a VBT fire fighter. The rest were out of the house, but Savion was missing.

A next-door neighbor Don Buckenberger said the nine-year-old girl ran from the house to pound on their door for help. Later it was said Savion guided the girl to the  door to run get help.

Jodi Buckenberger said another child was walking  down the road screaming. She said at first the fire was just smoke, but then flames erupted.

The Buckenbergers called 911 while Don ran over with a flashlight to see if he could help. He said he saw the 18-month-old child inside at the foot of the stairs and he  believes Savion moved her closer to the door so she coulld be saved. He said he heard Savion’s voice inside and called Savion “a hero.”

The roof was beginning to cave in and his wife urged him not to enter. Buckenberger’s back was singed.

VBT Public Safety Director Gregory Laurain said a fire fighter who had just suited up went inside and carried the girl out.

The 18-month-old was first reported to have expired at the scene, but that information was revised. The girl is still alive.

Savon was missing for several hours and his body was found by Belleville fire fighters at about 8:45 a.m. in the lower level at the back of the house.

Three children were taken to Mott Children’s Hospital in critical condition and one in stable condition. One adult was taken to the  University of Michigan Hospital. Huron Valley Ambulance had five ambulances at the scene.

A woman jumped from a deck or window  at the back of the house and broke a leg and was pulled away from the house by neighbors. Then, neighbors said, a sparking  electrical line dropped next to the woman with the broken leg and she was dragged to the front of the house.

Then the gas line erupted and VBT Fire called DTE to dig up the front yard and shut off the gas. VBT Public Safety Director Greg Laurain said flames were as high as the big trees in the yard from the gas fire.

Neighbors were traumatized by the blaze in their normally quiet neighborhood — and there were lots of tears. One neighbor said the family was believed to  be squatters since the house was foreclosed on four years ago with stickers on the windows and all the utilities shut off. It now is owned by US National (Bank  of America). Neighbors said there were illegal electrical hookups they could see.

Neighbors said they had been battling a series of squatters on the property and different families had moved in and out. The grass was often three feet tall and they burned trash in the fireplace for heat. Two years ago there were charges of animal abuse at the home and the animals were removed.

One neighbor said she believed the township did everything it could legally to get rid of the squatters. She said the bank had a buyer for the property, but told the buyers they would have to get rid of the squatters, so the  buyer backed off.

She said fire fighters did a phenomenal job in putting out the fire.

VBT Public Safety officials are investigating the cause of the fire. There was talk of candles in the house, but that is only preliminary information.

Assisting VBT Fire Department at the scene were Belleville and Sumpter Township Fire Departments, Michigan State Police, MSP Fire Marshal and VBT and Belleville Police.

VBT Fire Chief Dan Besson was out of town for the  weekend, 200 miles away, but was kept informed of the activities by texting, Director Laurain said.

Van Buren Public Schools Superintendent Michael Van Tassel sent prayers to the family of Savion and alerted parents that social workers and counselors would be available to students for as long as necessary.

Several groups in the community have set up donations and collections to help the family, including the VBT Patrol Officers Union and Wyldlife, a Christian group of which Savion was a part.