DCF Investigating After 8-Year-Old Girl Left Alone When Fire Broke Out At Milton Home
MILTON (CBS) – The state's Department of Children and Families is investigating after an eight-year-old girl was left alone when a fire broke out at her house in Milton on Thursday.
Firefighters were called to the blaze at the two-family home on Hudson Street around 4 p.m. The girl was able to escape unhurt, and firefighters say they found her across the street at a neighbor's house.
"When I went to the back, I see the flames bursting out," recalled a man who witnessed the fire. "Oh my goodness, it was horrifying."
The fire, which has been ruled accidental, started in the kitchen on the first-floor unit before quickly extending to the rear deck.
Fire officials say the blaze was caused by an issue with the stove after it was left unattended.
"The mother went to pick up (her) two-year-old (twin) daughters, which were a street away," says Milton Fire Chief John Grant. "So in reality, she shot next door to grab the kids and it all transpired in that period of time."
DCF is in the process of determining if it was negligence, or a mother's mistake. The witness believes "it's just a mistake."
"She might have left off for just a second. I don't think she meant anything by it," he said, adding that the family takes "really good care of their children."