Five Children Die in South Bend House Fire

Source: (Photo by David Pralh/Getty Images.)

SOUTH BEND, IND — Five children died in a Sunday evening house fire on North LaPorte Avenue in South Bend. Firefighters arrived after 6 p.m. to find the fire consuming the first and second floors. They rescued six trapped individuals from the second story. One adult escaped with minor injuries.

“As we mourn the lives lost, we also extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected by this tragedy,”said South Bend Fire Chief Carl Buchanon. “The South Bend Fire Department is committed to providing support to these

families during this difficult time and is working closely with local & State authorities to investigate the cause of the fire

One firefighter was injured when he fell through the second-story floor. He was released from the hospital and is expected to recover fully.

We are also caring for one of our firefighters who fell through the second floor onto the first floor,” said Buchanon. “He was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He is now recovering at home and is expected to recover and return to work in the near future.”

Firefighters located six children; five died at the scene, while the sixth, an 11-year-old, was taken to Memorial Hospital and later airlifted to a burn center in Indianapolis.

Carl Buchanon urged residents to test their smoke alarms. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Five Children Die in South Bend House Fire was originally published on wibc.com