An Eastern Michigan University student died from injuries suffered in a fire that occurred Saturday morning at a house in Ann Arbor.
In a statement released by the university, the student has been identified as 22-year-old Renden LeMasters. He was a senior studying computer science in the College of Technology.
Two other people were injured in the fire that occurred in a rental home in the 900 block of South State Street. A man was released from the University of Michigan Hospital Saturday. Officials said a woman injured in the fire has been upgraded to serious condition in the University of Michigan Hospital Trauma Burn Intensive Care Unit.
The fire spread quickly through the home. According to officials, when firefighters arrived at the scene, one person exited the home on fire, someone jumped from a second- story window and another person’s legs were on fire.
Ron Gubry, an EMU student, witnessed the fire. Gubry lives in close proximity to where the fire took place.
“I work at Pizza House and it’s about four blocks away from where the fire took place,” Gubry said. “I was heading home and I saw the fire raging. The fire department was already there.”
The fire is one of four deemed “suspicious” by officials and as of press time there are no updates in the investigation of the fires. The other fires involved trash cans and cars in a parking area on Church Street.
Officials issued an alert Saturday giving students precautions and numbers to call to report suspicious activity.
President Susan Martin offered her condolences to the family in the statement.
“This is a tragic loss,” Martin said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Renden’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
