CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. Six people, including four children, have been killed and two others hospitalized after a three-alarm house fire in North Chesterfield early Friday morning, according to firefighters.
“Unfortunately, the office of Chesterfield Fire Marshals was notified late last night that another child had died due to injuries sustained in the fire,” firefighters said Saturday morning.
According to firefighters, the four children killed ranged in age from 2-12.
Later on Saturday afternoon, another adult, a woman, died from her injuries.
A grandmother died in the home Friday morning, sources told Jon Burkett to Crime Insider.
“This tragic incident has now resulted in six deaths, two adult women and four children,” officials said.
WTVR
Family friend: Children were ‘the most beautiful souls’
Two GoFundMe pages were started to help the families affected by the fire.
Cadence Johnson helped organize one of the pages for the mother of two of the children who died.
“To help her, to help the family in need,” Johnson said. “To bury the kids, to help with the bills because they’re going to be out of work, so we wanted to start it.”
Johnson lovingly remembered the children.
“They were the most beautiful souls,” she said. “They would say what was on their minds. They were just happy children, they loved to sing, dance.”
Another online fundraiser has also been created for the families.
WTVR
Burkett: 9 people were in the house when the fire broke out
A neighbor called 911 just after 12:10 p.m. to report a fire in a home in the 9900 block of Glass Road, according to Chesterfield County Fire Department officials. The house is in the subdivision of Mayfair Estates near the intersection of Courthouse and Hull Street.
When firefighters arrived there, they were told that several people had been trapped inside the two-story house and, according to rescue chief Loy Senter, had moved from Chesterfield Fire to rescue mode. Nine people were inside the home when the fire broke out, Burkett said.
“Firefighters immediately began searching the first floor, assisted by the second and third incoming engineers, while at the same time launching an aggressive attack on the main body of the fire,” Senter said during a Friday morning briefing.
A second and third alarm was called due to the amount of people trapped in it.
@CColeburnTV, WTVR
Fire Chief: Several victims found on 2nd floor
Center said the crew saw heavy fire on the first floor in front of the house with high heat and heavy smoking conditions on the first and second floors. ‘
“Several other victims were located on the second floor and were removed by firefighters using ladders at the back of the home,” Senter said.
Witnesses said they saw firefighters carry out CPR on one person as well as pull a boy out of the burning house.
According to Senter, one person died at the scene and eight others were taken to hospitals in the area. Since then, five more people have been killed, including a woman and four children.
Two other victims remained in the hospital on Saturday, officials said.
“We believe we are dealing with the mixed family here,” Senter explained. “And so we try to make sure we do the right person, age and much more as part of the investigation to be able to disclose the information.”
The cause of the fire, which apparently originated in a bedroom, is still being investigated.
Officials said they did not suspect disorder.
“Because it is an active investigation, there will be information that is known but that cannot be disclosed at the moment,” Senter said. “Our hearts go out to the families who have been so deeply touched by this tragedy.”
This is an evolving story, so anyone with more information can email [email protected] to send a tip.