BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz — The grandchildren of a Bullhead City Fire Department employee died in a house fire reported on the afternoon of Dec. 16, officials said Monday.
According to city police, the fire started in a two-story duplex in a neighborhood near Ramar and Hancock roads around 5 p.m. on Saturday. Five children were located in an upstairs bedroom of the duplex and they were unable to escape since the fire had traveled up the home's only staircase.
"There were five children (ages 13, 11, 5, 4 and 2) who did not make it out of the two-story duplex," the department said on Facebook.
The victims have been identified as:
- John Jones III, age 13
- Henry Lewis, age 11
- Zane Jones, age 5
- Freya Jones, age 4
- Elias Jones, age 2
A spokesperson for the Bullhead City Police Department said no adults were present at the residence when the fire occurred. Four of the deceased children were siblings who lived at the residence and the fifth child was a visiting relative, the spokesperson said.
The father of the children told investigators he had left the home for about two hours to buy groceries and Christmas presents.
A memorial of flowers and stuffed animals is growing outside of the home.
"On Christmas day, these families won't be able to sit there and open up presents with their children. They're going to have to be celebrating a memorial instead," Wendy Zygarlicke, a neighbor, said.
Friends, family and neighbors stopped by on Monday to pay their respects.
"It's unfathomable," Brittany Froude, a neighbor, said. "It so quickly happened, you know, in one second and then your whole life is over."
One neighbor told 12News he and others grabbed hoses to try to put the fire out before firefighters arrived, but they weren't aware the kids were home.
Because the children were related to an employee of the local fire department, outside investigators from Lake Havasu City Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms have been brought in to assist in the case.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Anyone with information about the fire are asked to call the police at 928-763-9200.
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Home Fire Prevention:
The Arizona Fire & Medical Authority has released tips on how to prevent fires from starting in your home.
“More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and approximately 25,000 are injured,” the authority said on its website. “An overwhelming number of fires occur in the home.”
First off, the authority says that every house needs to have at least one working smoke alarm. Every level of the home and every sleeping area should have a working smoke alarm inside of it to offer the best protection.
Appliances should also be used in a way that manufacturers recommend, since overheating, shorts and sparks can all lead to a fire breaking out.
Lastly, families should have an escape plan from every room of the house.
“Caution everyone to stay low to the floor when escaping from fire and never to open doors that are hot,” the authority said. “Select a location where everyone can meet after escaping the house. Get out then call for help.”
The authority offers free home safety inspections. Schedule one with them by calling 623-544-5400.