Four children aged 5, 4, 3 and 1 die in horrific fire in Memphis while their mother is running errands: father is in custody but has not yet been charged
- Four young children were killed Wednesday afternoon after their apartment building in Memphis caught fire
- The kids were only 1, 3, 4 and 5, according to their grandfather, who said the 3-year-old had celebrated her birthday the day before
- The children’s father has been detained but not charged, after witnesses said he left the children alone to run an errand
Four young children died on Wednesday afternoon after their apartment building caught fire.
Memphis Fire Department officials say the deadly blaze broke out around 3 p.m. in a six- to eight-unit apartment complex on East Alston Avenue.
Firefighters arrived on scene almost half an hour later and found the four children in a back bedroom.
The kids were only 1, 3, 4 and 5, according to their grandfather, who noted that the 3-year-old had celebrated her birthday the day before.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, but authorities have said they have apprehended the children’s father, who was said to be at their home at the time.
The father, who has not yet been named, told a witness he briefly left to run an errand on the street, police said FOS 13. He has not yet been charged with wrongdoing.
Four young children, ages 1, 3, 4 and 5, died after their apartment in Memphis, Tennessee caught fire Wednesday afternoon
The children’s great-grandmother said she does not understand how the tragedy could have happened
Memphis Fire Department officials say the deadly blaze broke out at about 3 p.m. in a six- to eight-unit apartment complex on East Alston Avenue
Firefighters arrived on scene almost half an hour later and found the four children in a back bedroom
Another witness described the scene WREG how she and her boyfriend were driving down the residential street when they saw flames and smoke coming from the apartment building.
She said they decided to pull over to help, and were told by a group of children that they tried to call 911 but couldn’t get through.
The woman claimed she then contacted the children’s mother via Facebook to let her know what was going on.
By the time 50 firefighters arrived on scene, they reported heavy smoke development.
Working together, crews were able to bring the fire under control by 5 p.m. Wednesday, but the blaze had already caused $52,000 in damage.
No other injuries were reported.
“I’m so hurt and sad that they all had to go,” the children’s great-grandmother told WREG. And this was a sad way for them to go. Four children.
“I can’t understand,” she said. “But God, He knows best.”