5 South Bend children die in LaPorte Avenue house fire, another child and firefighter hurt

SOUTH BEND — Five children died in a residential fire Sunday night, and a sixth was airlifted to a specialized pediatric burn center in Indianapolis for treatment.

In the early evening hours of Jan. 21, the South Bend Fire Department responded to a residential fire at 222 N. LaPorte Ave., near the intersection with Colfax Avenue.

One neighbor said she immediately called 911, but firefighters were already on their way.

The first responding Company, Engine 2, arrived and was met with intense flames engulfing both the first and second floors of the structure, according to fire officials.

“I saw the fire department pull out gurneys,” neighbor Elijah Hipskind said.

"They were school-aged kids,” he said. Hipskind didn’t know them personally, but would see them often as he would park his car in the garage.

The crew of Engine 2 initiated a rapid attack, advancing into the heart of the blaze, the fire department said. Despite the challenging conditions, they successfully managed to suppress a significant portion of the fire on the first floor before moving to the second floor, where multiple victims were reported to be trapped.

The firefighters from Engine 2 found two people, handing them over to additional crews upon their arrival, the release said.

In total, six victims were extracted from the fire, according to the release. But five of them, all children, would later be pronounced dead. One survivor was urgently transported to Memorial Hospital and later airlifted to Indianapolis. Fire officials had not yet said whether there were any adults in the building at the time, though conversations on the emergency scanner that night referenced an adult calling 911 from inside the home, reporting being trapped in a bedroom and unable to see anything.

One firefighter sustained injuries when he fell through the second floor onto the first floor. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment and is now recovering at home and is expected to recover and return to work in the near future.

Neighbor Randy Stilley was caught by surprise seeing the smoke rise in the air, thinking of the little girl who lived there, often picking apples from his tree and wanting to pet his dog, Harlow.

“I’m really broken up about it," he said. There were six children and a father living in that home, he said.

Suzie Krill, the spokesperson of the South Bend Fire Department, said the fire department is taking this loss hard.

“Anytime we have a loss, it’s hard,” she said. “We’re Type A, we want to save lives, we want to save property.”

The South Bend Fire Department put out a news release, Monday, sharing their sympathies to the lives lost.

“As we mourn the lives lost, we also extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected by this tragedy," read a written release by the department on Monday. "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.”

Krill reiterated fire safety practices in case of emergency.

“Always have a plan,” she said. “Practice two ways to get out of the house. It’s not a matter of if, but when.”

Krill encouraged residents to educate their families and friends.

“Remember to check your smoke detectors, make sure you have them.”

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: 5 children die in South Bend fire, firefighter and 1 other child hurt