Mar 3, 2008 1:57 pm US/Eastern
Neighborhood Remembers 3 Children Killed In Fire
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Three children have been killed in a fire in Northwest Baltimore. The three children were identified as Siedah Fields, 5, Sadik Fields, 8, and Elijah Fields, 13.
A Northwest Baltimore neighborhood continues to mourn after the loss of three children in a house fire.
The three children were identified as Siedah Fields, 5, Sadik Fields, 8, and Elijah Fields, 13.
Mike Hellgren reports heavy smoke poured out of the two-and-a-half story home around 4 p.m Friday.
"They established water supply, gained entry, initiated rapid attack on the fire and performed search and rescue operations," said Baltimore City Fire Chief Kevin Cartwright.
A firefighter raced out of the burning house with a child who was barely clinging to life trying to save him, but it was too late.
The blaze trapped the three children, who the fire department says were home alone. In the end, all three children died in the blaze.
Firefighters found Elijah Fields dead on the first floor.
"I didn't see no adults. No adults. I just saw kids," said witness Lewis Bush. "They brought a young baby girl out, I'd say around eight. Then they came out with a second, a little boy."
Sadik and Siedah Fields were found on the second floor, unconscious and in full cardiac arrest. They were taken to Sinai Hospital where they later died.
"One loss of life in a fire is too many. It's something we never look forward to coming to," said Cartwright.
As paramedics desperately tried to save the young lives, some family members collapsed in emotional pain.
"I'm a little kid, and I don't like to see anybody die," said one little girl who witnessed the fire. "I could see if I could die if I was grown, but seeing kids like me die, it's horrible."
Firefighters were also affected by the tragic scene.
"The fire department, you know some of the men, they were getting emotional because they were kids," said Bush.
Firefighters performed the rescues while getting the flames under control.
"Exactly where the fire started and how it started, it's too preliminary for us to know those facts. We did find a smoke detector in the stairwell in the rear of the dwelling. Whether or not it's operational is yet to be determined," said Cartwright.
Their deaths have devastated an entire family and left neighborhood children crushed.
"For them to have to go that way, they didn't deserve that," said one child.
A huge pile of debris remains in the front yard of the family's home and is a testament to the strength of the fire. It sits next to a makeshift memorial on the family's front steps. It shows just how much the children were loved by neighbors and friends.
"They were your typical young, young happy go lucky children playing," said a neighbor.
According to teachers at Hilton Elementary School, where both Sadik and Siedah attended, the two children had perfect attendance and outstanding grades.
School officials say they've contacted the fire department to provide fire safety lessons to students.
A crisis team has been provided for students at Hilton Elementary. The Baltimore City team of 15 clinical professionals spoke with students Monday as they dealt with the grief of losing their classmates.
A memorial viewing will be held Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Wylie Funeral Home in Randallstown.
The funeral for the children is 10 a.m. Wednesday morning at Cuty Temple.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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