Baltimore Rowhouse Fire Kills 6
Fire engulfed a two-story row house Tuesday, killing at least six people believed to be members of an extended family and injuring seven others, authorities said.
Some of those killed were burned so badly that firefighters were unable to determine their age or gender, Fire Chief William Goodwin said. He described it as "the worst scenario I've seen in my 32 years."
CBS station WJZ-TV reports four people were critically injured — two adult women, an adult man and a three-year-old girl — and three other people had less serious injuries — a man, a woman and a four-year-old girl.
Neighbors said the family living in the home included small children and teenagers. All the victims were believed to be related, fire officials said.
The first firefighters to arrive found both floors engulfed in flames. They rescued three people, and three others managed to escape.
Goodwin said the heat from the fire was so intense that the victims died quickly.
"Something of this magnitude, you get one breath, that's it," he said. "You can't breathe the superheated air. You can't breathe the toxins."
Four of the victims who died were found in a second-floor bedroom, and a fifth was at the base of the stairs, Goodwin said. Another died on the way to a hospital.
Fire officials said they believed the blaze started on the first floor of the home. The cause was under investigation.
There was no evidence that the home had working smoke detectors, officials said.
Neighbor Sylvia Matthews said she was awakened by a 5-year-old girl who banged on her door and said the house was on fire. Another neighbor tried to enter the burning home from a rear door but was forced back by the heat, Matthews said.
The building's owner, O. Roosevelt Carlest, said he rented the home in October to a woman with two sons, including one who used a wheelchair. But Carlest said he was aware that a large number of people lived there. He said he had been trying without success to evict the family for not paying rent.
Arson is not suspected as the cause of the fire, but nothing has been ruled out, reports WJZ.
The home was in a low-income community of row houses near the historic Green Mount Cemetery, a city landmark.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Some of those killed were burned so badly that firefighters were unable to determine their age or gender, Fire Chief William Goodwin said. He described it as "the worst scenario I've seen in my 32 years."
CBS station WJZ-TV reports four people were critically injured — two adult women, an adult man and a three-year-old girl — and three other people had less serious injuries — a man, a woman and a four-year-old girl.
Neighbors said the family living in the home included small children and teenagers. All the victims were believed to be related, fire officials said.
The first firefighters to arrive found both floors engulfed in flames. They rescued three people, and three others managed to escape.
Goodwin said the heat from the fire was so intense that the victims died quickly.
"Something of this magnitude, you get one breath, that's it," he said. "You can't breathe the superheated air. You can't breathe the toxins."
Four of the victims who died were found in a second-floor bedroom, and a fifth was at the base of the stairs, Goodwin said. Another died on the way to a hospital.
Fire officials said they believed the blaze started on the first floor of the home. The cause was under investigation.
There was no evidence that the home had working smoke detectors, officials said.
Neighbor Sylvia Matthews said she was awakened by a 5-year-old girl who banged on her door and said the house was on fire. Another neighbor tried to enter the burning home from a rear door but was forced back by the heat, Matthews said.
The building's owner, O. Roosevelt Carlest, said he rented the home in October to a woman with two sons, including one who used a wheelchair. But Carlest said he was aware that a large number of people lived there. He said he had been trying without success to evict the family for not paying rent.
Arson is not suspected as the cause of the fire, but nothing has been ruled out, reports WJZ.
The home was in a low-income community of row houses near the historic Green Mount Cemetery, a city landmark.
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I think I understand the "deep blue" comment to be a political charge...
Okay - As I am appalled at such a casual view of this topic - there clearly is poverty involved...
The landlord is probably poor as well. Just because someone owns a house in one of these neighborhoods does not make them a wealthy person.
If you want to make this political - and if you are directing this toward the democratic party - I would beg to differ with hundreds of billions of $$$ being spent on a war where we are also losing thousands of our greatest young adults.
This war is a Republican war - and that is very clear... To think that we can afford all of this money on a war that no one knows exactly what the specific goal that needs to be reached that will define "success" makes me quiver with anger toward such partisan comments toward this story...
re: comment: "... in "one" of America's "deep blue" cities" - I am lost on the meaning???
For anyone to say this is a normal day for this city - I do not think so...
It was abnormal enough to gain national attention.
What in the world does "Deep Blue City" mean anyway??? Is this a racist comment???
Please inform...
Again smoke detectors may have made a difference. But to the people who think a $10 detector is no big deal, to these or any low-income families, it's a VERY big deal. That's money that can be used to feed the kids. Food or smoke detectors? Food will ALWAYS win.
Where this is a "rented" unit, why did'nt the landlord have them installed a working?
pray for the victims and their families