4-Year-Old Girl Dies In Massive Fire At Multi-Family Home In Lowell
LOWELL (CBS) -- A four-year-old girl has died after a massive fire at a multi-family home in Lowell Thursday afternoon. Two adults and three children were rescued from the building on Maude Street.
The building was quickly engulfed by heavy flames and smoke was seen pouring out of the roof. SkyEye captured firefighters attempting to put out the three-alarm fire at around 3 p.m.
Lowell Mayor Sokhary Chau said the girl who died was with two other children and their babysitter.
"There was one babysitter watching and the babysitter was able to have the two little kids to give to the firefighters to rescue," Chau told reporters Thursday night. "But I believe the four-year-old little girl, just making a quick decision, she told the little girl to run down the stairs to go outside."
Lowell Fire Chief Phillip Charron said one person was rescued from the first floor and four people were rescued from the third floor porch using ladders.
"The ladies and gentlemen of the Lowell Fire Department did a tremendous job. They were asked to act very, very quickly and I'm very proud of them, they did a good job," Charron said. "When you make a rescue the seconds count and they definitely performed today."
After the rescues, the 4-year old girl was unaccounted for and tragically never made it out of the fire. After searching with K9s for hours, investigators found her body Thursday night.
Neighbor Rafael Almeida recorded video as firefighters rescued people from the third floor. "I peer out the window and there's big, big smoke," Almeida said. "At some point I see a little girl being held by a fireman… they're coming down the ladder and there's people yelling, there's glass breaking."
"Like a movie scene. Very, very, scary," said Claudia Almeida. "The building on fire. The lady on the balcony with the small kids asking for help."
At least ten people were displaced in the fire. An adult remains hospitalized in stable condition.
Mayor Chau said there have been other recent fatal fires in the neighborhood.
"My heart breaks for the family and my prayers go out to the family," Mayor Chau said. "A lot of people, a lot of families lives in small spaces, and it's just sad to have this happen again in this neighborhood."
State Police, the state fire marshal and Lowell firefighters are investigating the cause of the fire.
