Father was Christmas shopping when fire killed 5 children in Bullhead City house
A Bullhead City father left home to go grocery shopping and buy Christmas gifts Saturday, Dec. 16. While he was gone, a fire killed five children staying in his home on Anna Circle.
He later reported to investigators responding to the fire that he was gone for about 2.5 hours, Bullhead City officials said.
A 13-year-old boy, 5-year-old boy, 4-year-old girl, and a 2-year-old boy were all siblings who were residents of the home. An 11-year-old boy was a relative and visiting at the time. All five children were located in the same upstairs bedroom of the two-story duplex, according to fire officials.
Bullhead City house fire: What we know about the weekend fire that killed 5 children
There were no survivors. According to Emily Fromelt, a spokesperson for both the Bullhead City Police Department and Bullhead City Fire District, neighbors reportedly attempted rescue efforts and placed an extension ladder to the upstairs bedroom of the duplex structure.
The initial fire investigation revealed the fire originated in the downstairs foyer area, most likely making it impossible for the children in the upstairs bedroom to get out of the residence safely, according to fire officials. The fire traveled up the only staircase inside the home, preventing the victims from exiting, officials said.
On Monday evening, Fromelt provided a statement and timeline of emergency response:
4:54 p.m. – Dispatch received a call of a structure fire on Anna Circle.
4:59 p.m. – Bullhead City Fire Units arrived at the scene.
Less than a minute later, there was water on the fire, Fromelt said.
5:01 p.m. – Water supply was established from the fire hydrant.
5:03 p.m. – The main body of the fire was extinguished.
Fromelt said that a Bullhead City Fire District employee was the grandfather of the victims.
Due to the relation, fire investigators from the Lake Havasu City Fire Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms were called in to assist the Bullhead City Police Department with the incident, Fromelt said.
Lake Havasu City and ATF Fire investigators were the agencies charged with determining how the fire started.
Almost two days after the deadly blaze, federal authorities wearing white protective suits and respirators removed the final bins of evidence from the home on Monday. A memorial of flowers, stuffed animals, and children's toys were gathered at the fence at the end of the driveway. A kiddie pool sat untouched in front of the open garage door, seemingly the only area of the home that survived the fire.
Items of evidentiary value were collected to help determine the cause of the fire, according to the statement. The fire debris analysis will be conducted by ATF chemists and electrical engineers.
“The Bullhead City Police and Fire Departments thank the fire investigators for their assistance and making this investigation a priority,” Fromelt said in the statement.
The names of the five victims were withheld pending official identification by the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The investigation team asked that any witnesses who have photos or videos of the fire contact the Bullhead City Police Department at 928-763-9200 and ask to speak with detectives.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Father was out of house shopping during Bullhead City house fire
