Multiple children dead in South Bend house fire
UPDATE: The Marion County Coroner’s Office announced Monday that the one child survivor who was airlifted from South Bend to Indianapolis for treatment died on Friday due to their injuries. The child was identified as 11-year-old Angel Smith.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WISH) — A house fire in South Bend left five children dead, and injured a firefighter who fell through through a floor, authorities said.
South Bend Fire Chief Carl Buchanon said six people were taken from the burning home Sunday evening in the 200 block of North LaPorte Ave.
Fire crews say that intense flame engulfed both the first and second floors of the home. Firefighters managed to suppress the fire on the first floor before moving to the second floor, where multiple people were reported to be trapped.
One survivor was taken to Memorial Hospital and then later airlifted to a specialized pediatrics burn center in Indianapolis for treatment. Five children were taken to a local hospital, where they later died from their injuries, according to a release.
The injured firefighter was treated at a hospital and released.
Fire crews in South Bend, which is located south of the state line with Michigan, battled the blaze for about three hours. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
“As we mourn the lives lost, we also extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected by this tragedy. The South Bend Fire Department is committed to providing support to these families during this difficult time and is working closely with local and state authorities to investigate the cause of the fire.
We are also caring for one of our firefighters who fell through the second floor onto the first floor. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He is now recovering at home and is expected to recover and return to work in the near future.
In closing, Fire Chief Buchanon urges the community to join us in honoring the memory of the young lives lost and in recognizing the heoric efforts of our firefighters, who, without hesitation, risked everything in their attempt to save Southe Bend’s own. Fire Chief Carl Buchanon would like to remind all residents to test their smoke alarms. The department collaborates closely with the American Red Cross installing free smoke alarms to residents of South Bend.”
South Bend Fire Department
