Current:Home > ScamsHouse fire traps, kills 5 children: How the deadly blaze in Indiana unfolded-LoTradeCoin
House fire traps, kills 5 children: How the deadly blaze in Indiana unfolded
View Date:2024-12-24 00:35:49
A raging fire roared through a home in Indiana on Sunday night, killing five young children and injuring a a sixth, who was was airlifted to a specialized pediatric burn center in Indianapolis for treatment.
The South Bend Fire Department responded to the blaze in early evening hours of Jan. 21. One neighbor said he immediately called 911, but firefighters were already on their way. Intense flames engulfed both the first and second floors of the structure and the six children were extracted from the fire, according to fire officials.
The children ranged in age from 17 months to 11 years, Fire Chief Carl Buchanon told reporters Monday. The 11-year-old remained hospitalized. An adult escaped with minor injuries, officials said. Conversations on the emergency scanner that night referenced an adult calling 911 from inside and reporting being trapped in a bedroom and unable to see.
A grisly, heart-breaking scene
Fire crews quickly advanced into the heart of the blaze, upon arrival, the fire department said, and managed to knock down a large part of the fire on the first floor. They found multiple victims on the second floor where they were reportedly trapped.
Of the six children pulled from the home, five were pronounced dead. The sixth was airlifted to Indianapolis.
One firefighter was injured when he fell through the second floor onto the first floor. He is expected to recover and return to work in the near future.
Who were the victims?
Neighbor Elijah Hipskind said he often saw the children as he parked his car in the garage. "They were school-aged kids,” he said. “I saw the fire department pull out gurneys."
Neighbor Randy Stilley was caught by surprise seeing the smoke rise in the air, thinking of the little girl who lived there, often picking apples from his tree and wanting to pet his dog, Harlow.
“I’m really broken up about it," he said. There were six children and a father living in that home, he said.
The South Bend Fire Department said the department is working with local and state authorities to investigate the cause of the fire.
“As we mourn the lives lost, we also extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected by this tragedy," the department said in a release Monday, noting fire officials are committed to providing support to these families during this difficult time."
Spokesperson Suzie Krill said the fire department is struggling with the loss.
“Anytime we have a loss, it’s hard,” she said. “We’re Type A, we want to save lives, we want to save property.”
Fire department: 'Remember to check your smoke detectors'
Krill reiterated fire safety practices in case of emergency.
“Always have a plan,” she said. “Practice two ways to get out of the house. It’s not a matter of if, but when ... Remember to check your smoke detectors, make sure you have them.”
veryGood! (2493)
Related
- Spirit Airlines cancels release of Q3 financial results as debt restructuring talks heat up
- A Pipeline Giant Pleads ‘No Contest’ to Environmental Crimes in Pennsylvania After Homeowners Complained of Tainted Water
- Inside Clean Energy: In the New World of Long-Duration Battery Storage, an Old Technology Holds Its Own
- The IRS is building its own online tax filing system. Tax-prep companies aren't happy
- Will the NBA Cup become a treasured tradition? League hopes so, but it’s too soon to tell
- These are some of the people who'll be impacted if the U.S. defaults on its debts
- Inside Clean Energy: Wind and Solar Costs Have Risen. How Long Should We Expect This Trend to Last?
- The IRS is building its own online tax filing system. Tax-prep companies aren't happy
- Democrat Ruben Gallego wins Arizona US Senate race against Republican Kari Lake
- Billy Porter and Husband Adam Smith Break Up After 6 Years
Ranking
- Kentucky officer reprimanded for firing non-lethal rounds in 2020 protests under investigation again
- Inside Clean Energy: Wind and Solar Costs Have Risen. How Long Should We Expect This Trend to Last?
- Wildfire Pollution May Play a Surprising Role in the Fate of Arctic Sea Ice
- In a historic step, strippers at an LA bar unionize
- Powerball winning numbers for Nov. 13 drawing: Jackpot rises to $113 million
- Overwhelmed by Solar Projects, the Nation’s Largest Grid Operator Seeks a Two-Year Pause on Approvals
- Target removes some Pride Month products after threats against employees
- California Climate Measure Fails After ‘Green’ Governor Opposed It in a Campaign Supporters Called ‘Misleading’
Recommendation
-
AI could help scale humanitarian responses. But it could also have big downsides
-
Frustration Simmers Around the Edges of COP27, and May Boil Over Far From the Summit
-
Keke Palmer's Boyfriend Darius Jackson Defends Himself for Calling Out Her Booty Cheeks Outfit
-
Daniel Radcliffe Shares Rare Insight Into His Magical New Chapter as a Dad
-
Love Actually Secrets That Will Be Perfect to You
-
The latest workers calling for a better quality of life: airline pilots
-
The U.S. is expanding CO2 pipelines. One poisoned town wants you to know its story
-
Can Africa Grow Without Fossil Fuels?
Like
- Hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field can be fixed for about $55M in time for 2026 season, per report
- Baltimore’s ‘Catastrophic Failures’ at Wastewater Treatment Have Triggered a State Takeover, a Federal Lawsuit and Citizen Outrage
- It’s Happened Before: Paleoclimate Study Shows Warming Oceans Could Lead to a Spike in Seabed Methane Emissions