Firefighters and paramedics who responded in the early morning hours of an apartment explosion in Detroit earlier this year were honored on Monday. 

"The apartment just went boom," said Dymond Washington, who survived the March 31 explosion with her two sons and boyfriend. 

Washington said she and her two boys were asleep when the gas explosion rattled them awake. She said her only focus was getting her two boys out to safety.

"All I know is that we were in the air one minute," she said. "We were really trapped, we were trapped for like exactly six minutes before EMS came, and we had to find a way to them, and then that's when they realized we could all leave out the window of my neighbor's home."

Emergency responders rescued and transported 13 people that early morning. One man passed away as a result of his injuries from the explosion. Battalion Chief Percy Warmack said it was a buildup of gas that caused the 12-unit apartment building to go up in flames.

"We go out, and when people are screaming and they need help, we are there to help all the time," said Warmack. 

He said he is incredibly proud of the work first responders did that day. 

Dalana Gumina, one of the paramedics who treated survivors, received a hug and a citation for her work-- but she said the hug means more. 

"We don't do it for this, we're doing it for the mom and the babies that get to live another day, that's what makes this job great. Knowing that's what happened in this case that is the reward," she said.

• Detroit
• Explosion