BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Two children were killed and their mother was injured in an overnight fire on Friday at a Palm Bay apartment building, according to Palm Bay Fire Rescue.
What You Need To Know
- A 5-year-old and a 10-year-old died in the fire
- The mother was taken to a hospital with severe burns and she is in critical condition
- A 15-year-old sibling managed to escape the flames and call 911
Officials say the fire broke out around 12:40 a.m. with four people inside the second-floor Country Gardens Apartment on Sunny Brook Lane.
A 5-year-old and a 10-year-old died in the fire, officials said. However, their 15-year-old sibling managed to escape the flames on the second floor of the apartment on Sunny Brook Lane.
Palm Bay fire officials said the 32-year-old mother was taken to a hospital with severe burns and she is in critical condition.
"Search teams entered the apartment and rescued three victims, immediately rendering medical aid upon exiting the structure. Despite rescue efforts, a 10-year-old child was pronounced deceased at the scene. A 5-year-old child and a 32-year-old adult were transported in critical condition to Holmes Regional Medical Center. Later, both patients were transferred to Orlando Regional's burn center for further specialized care. Tragically, the 5-year-old succumbed to their injuries, while the adult remains in critical condition," the Palm Bay Fire Rescue explained in a Facebook post.
It was the teenager who was able to call 911, who is now staying with family members. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy flames and smoke coming from the apartment.
They say the strong winds contributed to it spreading so quickly. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading to seven attached units.
Firefighters say the people in the adjacent units are unable to stay there and are being assisted.
The state fire marshal is on scene investigating the cause, and if it had anything to do with the family using a heat source to stay warm.
“It wouldn’t be out of the realm of impossible, because people are trying to find alternative ways to stay warm, so if they are using space heaters or any type of open flame, sure that could always be a consideration,” said John Ringleg, the assistant chief for Palm Bay Fire Rescue.
Officials stated that the investigation is ongoing and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the family.