Preliminary autopsy reports indicate that burns and smoke inhalation caused the brothers to die.
A mobile home fire in Alabama claimed the lives of two brothers, aged 4 and 2. However, their youngest sibling, aged 10 months, survived the ordeal.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office said the fire broke out around 8:30 pm on August 25, 2022, in Irvington. Within minutes, the entire mobile home was engulfed in flames, according to NBC15. The boys, identified by officials as 4-year-old Liam Barnes and 2-year-old Noah Gordon, were killed in the blaze, FOX10 reports.
According to MCSO Sgt. Mark Bailey, the children’s mother, 24-year-old Kali Sherman, was next door when the fire started. As soon as she was alerted, she ran into the home to save her three kids.
First, she rescued her 10-month-old Sebastian Gordon from his crib and also managed to get the 4-year-old out.
According to authorities, the older siblings were taken to the hospital but unfortunately, they were pronounced dead. Sebastian managed to escape unscathed. Sherman too suffered burn injuries for which she was treated.
Mom saves toddler but loses 2 other kids to house fire: https://t.co/W5UN42BO7q
— KCTV5 News (@KCTV5) August 28, 2022
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but investigators believe it started in the front bedroom.
However, according to Business Standard, it has been reported that the fire started due to a child playing with a cigarette lighter. A butane lighter was found next to a mattress that caught fire in the children's bedroom, the Mobile County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
The release also stated that preliminary autopsy reports indicate that burns and smoke inhalation caused the brothers to die.
According to the sheriff's office, smoke detectors inside the mobile home close to the kids' bedroom weren't functional. Also, after consulting with local prosecutors, detectives chose not to press charges.
Neighbor Shaun Kendall learned about the fire when somebody rang his doorbell.
“We started seeing smoke in the actual ring itself and we heard the fire alarm going off. So we called Courtney which is the person that’s in front of the trailer that caught on fire,” Kendall said. “So they ran outside and found out that it was her house that was actually on fire. And then we rushed home and that’s when we found everything on fire, and seen everything going crazy.”
Kendall, who is a professional tattoo artist, is using his artwork as an opportunity to help the family.
“I wanted to at least help the family give back. So, everybody that comes in for a tattoo, I want to give them a chance to help me help them,” Kendall said. “So, anything that I get, I’m going to give them 25% of the proceeds off of my cut. That’s not including the shop cut. That’s gonna be out of my pocket.”
References:
https://www.nbc15.com/2022/08/28/mom-saves-toddler-loses-2-other-kids-house-fire/
https://www.fox10tv.com/2022/08/26/neighbors-stepping-help-after-fire-irvington-kills-two-children/
Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Elizabeth Castaneda | EyeEm
