DEARBORN — On the eve of Independence Day, powerful thunderstorms fueled by extreme heat swept across southeast Michigan, leaving six people dead, knocking out electricity to more than 400,000 homes and businesses and intensifying criticism of DTE Energy over prolonged power outages that left thousands of families without electricity for days.

The fast-moving storm system struck the region shortly after 8 p.m. on Friday, July 3, bringing destructive straight-line winds reaching nearly 80 mph in western Michigan and approximately 63 mph by the time the storms reached Metro Detroit.

The violent weather lasted less than 30 minutes but caused extensive damage throughout the region.

Downed trees and power lines crippled neighborhoods, traffic signals failed at major intersections, stormwater pumps shut down and flooding closed numerous roads, including several in Dearborn.

The widespread outages came as temperatures climbed into the 90s with oppressive humidity following heat index readings that approached 100 degrees, creating dangerous conditions for residents, particularly seniors and medically vulnerable individuals left without air conditioning.

DTE Energy deployed hundreds of repair crews and brought in additional line workers from neighboring states to rebuild damaged sections of the electrical grid. Despite around-the-clock restoration efforts, tens of thousands of customers remained without power for several days, fueling mounting frustration among residents and elected officials.

Carbon monoxide deaths

The extended outages also prompted many families to rely on portable generators, leading to two separate carbon monoxide tragedies that claimed the lives of three children in Wayne County.

One of the most heartbreaking incidents occurred in Melvindale, where Wael Hamza Haidara, 16, was found dead Saturday morning after apparently inhaling carbon monoxide from a gasoline-powered generator operating inside the basement of his family’s home.

Wael Hamza Haidara, 16, from Melvindale was found dead Saturday morning

Family members said Wael had recently arrived in the United States and was likely unaware of the dangers associated with operating generators indoors.

In a separate tragedy in Sumpter Township, police discovered two children, ages 8 and 12, dead inside a home where a generator had been operating in the garage. Authorities determined carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death.

Michigan officials again reminded residents that generators should never be operated inside homes, garages, basements or any enclosed or partially enclosed space.

Generators should always be placed outdoors at least 20 feet from buildings, with exhaust directed away from windows, doors and ventilation systems.

Traffic fatalities and refinery flare

In addition to the three carbon monoxide deaths, three more people were killed in a crash on Interstate 94 in Dearborn after a reportedly intoxicated driver struck a vehicle stopped because of standing water covering the freeway.

The storm also caused power disruptions at Marathon Petroleum’s Detroit refinery, triggering emergency flaring operations that sent large flames into the night sky and renewed concerns among nearby residents about air quality and environmental safety.

Dearborn first responders stretched to the limit

The combination of severe weather, widespread power outages and a deadly shooting at Fairlane Town Center placed extraordinary demands on Dearborn’s Police and Fire Departments during one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year.

Fire Chief Joseph Murray said emergency crews responded simultaneously to the Fairlane shooting, which left two people dead and another injured, the fatal I-94 crash, numerous weather-related emergencies, electrical fires and hundreds of calls involving fallen trees and downed power lines.

Murray told The Arab American News that firefighters also shifted significant resources toward humanitarian assistance.

Crews distributed more than 5,000 pounds of dry ice to residents to help preserve refrigerated food during the prolonged outages and responded to the fatal generator incident in Melvindale.

“Typically, the Fourth of July holiday weekend is one of our busiest every year,” Murray said. “These major incidents made last weekend even more challenging. Nevertheless, our dedicated men and women once again gave everything they had to ensure our residents continued receiving the highest level of service despite extraordinary circumstances.”

Firefighters also conducted door-to-door wellness checks at St. Sarkis Senior Apartments, where more than 200 elderly residents were left without electricity, water and elevator service during the extreme heat.

Working with local businesses, including Dearborn Fresh Supermarket, Papaya Market, Malek Al Kabob and Al Ameer Restaurant, firefighters coordinated the delivery of bottled water and hot meals until electrical service was restored.

Murray also praised firefighters and paramedics for continuing to work under dangerous conditions while wearing protective gear weighing more than 75 pounds during extreme heat and humidity.

A huge tree in a Dearborn neighborhood was uprooted by the storm – Video grab

DTE highlights restoration efforts

In a statement released Monday, DTE Energy said repair crews were working around the clock to restore power as safely and quickly as possible.

The company reported that by 3 p.m. Monday, electricity had been restored to more than 327,000 customers, representing approximately 85 percent of all outages, with restoration expected to reach 95 percent later that day.

Approximately 2,900 utility workers, including crews brought in from other states, participated in the restoration effort. Nevertheless, thousands of customers remained without power into Wednesday.

DTE also announced a series of relief measures, including wellness checks for more than 8,000 seniors and low-income residents, distribution of 131 portable generators, provision of 75 hotel rooms for qualifying households and deployment of community assistance trucks offering bottled water, charging stations and updated restoration information.

The company partnered with community organizations across Metro Detroit, including the HYPE Athletics Center in Dearborn Heights, Crowell Recreation Centers in Detroit and The Guidance Center in Southgate to provide meals and assistance to affected residents.

DTE urged residents to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children and pets away from damaged electrical equipment and operate portable generators only outdoors to prevent deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

The utility also announced that customers whose outages extended beyond Tuesday may qualify for automatic bill credits of $42 per day under Michigan’s electric reliability rules, which provide compensation when qualifying outages exceed 48 hours.

Eligible customers will receive the credit automatically without submitting an application, DTE said.

Residents, officials blast DTE over prolonged blackout

Public frustration reached a boiling point Monday as local officials joined residents of St. Sarkis Senior Apartments in Dearborn to denounce DTE Energy over the prolonged power outage that left the eight-story senior housing complex without electricity for four days during extreme heat.

Residents Donna Romero, Hosnia Nasser, 70, Amira Al-Tamimi, 80, Hayat Al-Jaafari, Zaineb Hourani, 80, and Wahbi Nseibeh, who relies on electricity-dependent medical equipment, shared emotional accounts of living without electricity, elevators or air conditioning while enduring dangerous temperatures and humidity.

Many described throwing away spoiled food and medications, climbing multiple flights of stairs after elevators stopped working and spending sleepless nights in the building’s lobby in search of cooler air.

Romero compared the conditions to those found in developing countries, saying elderly residents had been deprived of basic necessities, including lighting, air conditioning and functioning elevators.

Nseibeh criticized DTE for taking two days to provide him with a generator despite repeated requests and intervention by city officials.

Nasser, Al-Tamimi, Al-Jaafari and Hourani also described the physical hardship they endured. Nasser, who is recovering from a broken arm, said she was forced to sleep in the building lobby because of the unbearable heat. Hourani, who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, said she left her apartment before dawn each day simply to breathe more comfortably and rest in the cooler common area.

Residents praised Dearborn firefighters, building management and local businesses for delivering meals, bottled water and emergency assistance throughout the outage. They also noted that several city employees even offered to house elderly residents in their own homes until power was restored.

Local leaders demand accountability

State Rep. Alabas Farhat, who represents Dearborn in the State House, sharply criticized DTE’s handling of the crisis, calling it unacceptable that elderly residents, including people dependent on life-support equipment, were left without electricity or reliable access to drinking water for four days.

“I’ve been in constant communication with DTE throughout this ordeal,” Farhat said. “All we’ve received are promises and restoration estimates that never materialized.”

Farhat called for senior housing facilities to be connected to dedicated electrical circuits that receive priority restoration during emergencies.

“It is an absolute disgrace that we’re standing here talking about a senior housing complex left without electricity for four days,” he said. “How can the richest country in the world find billions of dollars to fund war abroad while allocating virtually nothing to protect its own residents at home?”

He also criticized Michigan’s aging electrical infrastructure.

“Our power grid has become a joke,” Farhat said. “Some residents have joked that if we were in Lebanon or Yemen, electricity would have returned sooner. I refuse to accept this level of decline as the new normal.”

Farhat pledged to seek hearings before the Michigan House committees overseeing energy and utilities to examine DTE’s response.

Abbas Alawieh, who is running for State Senate, says a $42 reimbursement from DTE isn’t enough.

“Trust between our seniors and DTE has been lost,” Alawieh said. “That trust has been broken.

“What we need for trust to be restored is real answers from DTE. You can’t give out a press release saying we’ll give out $42, sorry for what happened the last four days,” he added.

Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud, joined by Fire Chief Murray, also condemned the utility company, saying the city’s most vulnerable residents had effectively been imprisoned by the prolonged outage.

“In many ways over the past four days, this building became a prison,” Hammoud said. “No one would accept these conditions for their own mother or grandmother. I cannot understand how affordable senior housing could end up at the bottom of the restoration priority list.”

Hammoud also criticized DTE’s customer compensation policy.

“How is a $42 credit considered adequate compensation for someone who lost hundreds of dollars worth of food and medication?” he asked. “Those questions should be directed to the Michigan Public Service Commission, which has the authority to hold monopoly utilities accountable.”

He rejected repeated explanations that the storm was unprecedented.

“Every time we have a storm, we’re told it’s unprecedented,” Hammoud said. “That cannot continue to be an excuse for inadequate preparation and inadequate response.”

Tlaib joins the criticism

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib also delivered a blistering criticism of DTE, calling the company’s response “shameful” and accusing it of prioritizing profits over infrastructure investments.

Tlaib questioned why the utility relied heavily on repair crews brought in from states such as Kentucky and Georgia instead of investing in a larger permanent Michigan workforce.

“We’re not stupid,” Tlaib said. “When we see repair trucks with out-of-state license plates, we know you’re choosing not to hire enough Michigan workers and instead waiting until disasters strike before bringing in outside contractors. Shame on you.”

She also criticized DTE’s distribution of promotional gift bags during the recovery effort, calling the gesture insulting to residents who needed functioning air conditioning and elevators rather than public relations giveaways.

Tlaib further criticized the Michigan Public Service Commission, saying it had failed to properly regulate monopoly utilities while approving only a $42 daily outage credit, which she described as inadequate given today’s cost of living and the financial losses suffered by residents.

She called for permanent solutions, including placing the approximately 200-unit St. Sarkis Senior Apartments on an independent electrical circuit similar to systems already implemented in communities such as Livonia.

“This is about far more than restoring electricity,” Tlaib said. “It’s about protecting people’s dignity, health and safety.”

She pledged to continue pressing for legislative reforms to hold monopoly utilities accountable and require meaningful investment in Michigan’s aging electrical grid, saying public safety must take precedence over corporate profits.