New Images of Deadly Des Plaines Fire Killing A Mother And Her Four Children
DES PLAINES, Ill. (CBS) -- Just-released images Tuesday show that a suburban family had no path to escape when fire swept through their home two months ago.
As CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reported, among the findings are that the fire was burning for several minutes before the first 911 call was made. And a doorway, a possible exit, was blocked with furniture.
For the first time, images documented the burned out interior of the Des Plaines home, where a mother and her four young children died.
A report by the Des Plaines Fire Department, with photos and video, showed the tragedy that was unfolding for 25 year-old Cynthaly Zamodio and her four children, ages, 6, 5, 3 and one.
As flames shot through windows of the home on the 700 block of West Oakton on a cold January morning, a Des Plaines police officer was the first to arrive at the scene.
The smoke was so thick, his car couldn't be seen in the video. Firefighters arrive and pound on doors. A Metra police officer, driving by, also stopped to help. He, along with the Des Plaines officer, are able to get into a unit on the first floor of the home. The person inside makes it out of the burning house alive.
After working to extinguish the fire for one minute, firefighters were able to enter the second floor. The fire started in this stairwell.
A space heater and an extension cord were also found in that area. Also on the second floor, the fire department said a photo showed the exit to the balcony, blocked by furniture.
A photo of the balcony exterior, showed the other side of the door and a way the family could have escaped.
After putting the fire out on the second floor, firefighters were able to remove Zamodio and her four children from the house.
All five would die from their injuries.
"He's suffering. It's not easy," said family friend Sam Kuraishi.
Kuraishi said Zamodio's husband had gone to work the morning of the fire and wasn't home. Kuraishi has since taken him in. He said, understandably, her husband, is devastated.
"(He's) very upset. It's very tragic. He couldn't do anything," said Kuraishi.
While the fire started in the stairwell, with a space heater and extension cord nearby, it's still not determined if the space heater caused the fire.