Tragic Indiana House Fire Claims Lives of 5 Children, Leaves Another Injured

A devastating house fire in northern Indiana resulted in the tragic deaths of five children and left another child injured with burns. The South Bend Fire Department reported that people, including children, were trapped by the flames on the second floor of the house on Sunday evening. Regrettably, five children were pronounced dead, and a sixth child was hospitalized with severe burns before being airlifted to another hospital in Indianapolis.

Incident Details

The incident also resulted in an adult escaping with minor injuries, while a firefighter fell through the second floor but was fortunately treated at a hospital and later released. The children involved in the fire ranged in age from 17 months to 11 years, as detailed by Fire Chief Carl Buchanon during a press briefing on Monday. Sadly, the 11-year-old child remains hospitalized due to the severity of their injuries.

Fire Outbreak and Response

The fire, which broke out in South Bend, a city just south of the Michigan state line with a population of over 100,000, was reported around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and rapidly spread, aided by windy conditions, according to Buchanon. Firefighting crews battled the blaze for approximately three hours.

Investigation Underway

The adult who managed to escape provided crucial information to firefighters regarding the number of people inside the house and had attempted to rescue some of them before being forced back by the intense smoke and flames, as revealed by Buchanon. At present, the cause of the fire is under investigation, and authorities are working diligently to determine its origin and circumstances.