An apartment fire tragically killed a 4-year-old child and seriously injured his grandmother and his 18-month-old brother. The fire started early in the morning on February 7, 2016 at an apartment complex.
A 6-year-old brother attempted to save the family. According to news reports, he had just watched a safety video in school and tried to get his family to crawl to safety. Crawling under the smoke can prevent smoke inhalation injuries, which can be fatal if the internal burns are severe.
Our thoughts are with this brave little one and his entire family, particularly his grandmother and his little brother, both of whom survived the fire but are in critical condition.
In an interview, Fire Chief Mike Hunley said the first crew of firefighters lost their water and were seeking refuge as they were rescuing 3 of the people:
“They [the firefighters] lost there water, and there was a lot of heat and smoke and fire. So they sheltered in another apartment that was not involved on the other side of the building, and they called a mayday. . . . They handed the young child out the window to another firefighter . . . . Another crew helped the other people out.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire department has requested help from the State Fire Marshal’s office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Sources: KMBC News and The Kansas City Star.
