4 children dead after St. Paul house fire; 2 others and mother still in critical condition
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Four of the six children pulled from the flames of a St. Paul house fire on Wednesday have died.
The other two children and the mother are all still in critical condition as of Monday evening.
The children were identified as 5-year-old Siv Ntshiab and her twin Ntshiab Si. A 4-year-old boy, Mauj Tshos Ntaj, and a 1-year-old boy, Muaj Vang, also died.
At a press conference on Saturday morning, Pa Cheng, the father of the six children, said he was grateful for the community's support over the past few days.
"Thank you for everyone at home, seeing my story, helping me out, praying for me, showing support," he said. "I know that as a parent I believe, you know, that you all know the feeling when your child is sick. Your child is burnt. Thank you for praying for me, supporting me."
Pa Cheng Vang said he never knew that the new year would be the last joyous moments he'd have with his children.
He and his family are now preparing for the difficult road ahead.
"I highly encourage every single family, at least a quarter or a semester, to start practicing fire drill at home, especially in the middle of the night," said Pa Cheng Vang.
Yong Vang talked about the heart wrenching feeling, watching her nephew stay with his children, who she said filled every room of the children's ward at Gillette Children's hospital.
"To hold his children and to hear that this one's not going to make it, and to hear that we're going to have to pull the plug on this one," said Great Aunt Yong Vang. "I look at my nephew and he's able to stand and he's able to talk and he'll smile at times, and I admire his strength, because I don't know if I could do that."
Crews were dispatched to the home on the 1200 block of Arkwright Street North on Wednesday morning. The seven victims were inside the home, unconscious.
The fire is under investigation, but officials say it does not appear to be suspicious.
An online fundraiser for the family has now raised more than $300,000, with a trust fund also in the works.
