Tragedy has struck a young family in Pasadena after a child died in an apartment fire on Wednesday. Another child and both children’s mothers were also critically injured in the blaze.
KTLA in Los Angeles reports that at approximately 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29th, a fire began in an apartment on the first floor of a two-story, seven-unit apartment building at 169 East Washington Boulevard in Pasadena.
According to an official statement released by interim Fire Chief Bryan Frieders of the Pasadena Fire Department, the victim in the fire was a four-year-old boy. Also critically injured in the fire was his three-year-old brother and 29-year-old mother.
Firefighters arrived at the scene to find heavy smoke billowing from a lower level corner apartment in the two-story building. The fire also caused considerable damage to the unit immediately upstairs.
Chief Frieders told KTLA reporter Rick Chambers that the younger child and mother were transported to an area hospital for treatment. Both are listed in critical condition.
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Even before firefighters arrived, several Good Samaritans attempted to rescue the boys and their mother from the blaze. Santos Herrera heard the children’s mother screaming from across the street. Grabbing a ladder, he ran across the street to attempt to help rescue another woman and her children who were on the second floor.
More than 50 firefighters responded to the fire. Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control quickly. None of the firefighters were injured in the blaze. Some of them were struck by the bravery of those who attempted to lend a hand.
“To see a layperson put themselves in harm’s way to help another person in the community, you know, it’s amazing,” Fire Battalion Chief Wendell Eaton said.
So far, fire investigators assisted by the ATF have found no evidence that the fire was suspicious. The cause of the fire is still currently under investigation.
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