Two children die in St. Charles County fire
DEFIANCE, Mo. — Two children died in a house fire Friday morning near Defiance, Missouri. First responders were not able to get to them in time.
The first report of the fire came in at around 7:45 a.m. as an explosion. Police arrived first on the scene and attempted to rescue a 4-year-old and a 6-year-old in the home. A police officer was injured while he tried to get inside.
Firefighters arrived next and desperate efforts by volunteer firefighters to rescue the children were thwarted by heavy flames and smoke.
“This is a very challenging scene for everybody involved. Our condolences are certainly with the families of these two children who perished today. Obviously, this is among the most challenging calls for first responders to come to,” said Kyle Gaines of the St. Charles County Ambulance District.
Two children die in St. Charles County fire
“It is too preliminary to release any details. The investigation is ongoing,” said Chief Skip Stephens of the Cottleville Fire Protection District.
Besides the police officer, another adult was injured in the fire. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The community has set up a GoFundMe page for the family. The state fire marshal has been called to investigate the fire.
This is a developing story and Fox 2 will update this article as more information is released
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