Monday, February 9, 2015

CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY ARE THE MOST FREQUENT VICTIMS OF HOUSE FIRES: FARMHOUSE FIRE IN MISSOURI TAKES THE LIFE OF THREE CHILDREN; INJURES 2 AND 1 ADULT. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION; THE FIRE STARTED IN THE LIVING ROOM





 

CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY ARE THE MOST FREQUENT VICTIMS OF HOUSE FIRES: FARMHOUSE FIRE IN MISSOURI TAKES THE LIFE OF THREE CHILDREN; INJURES 2 AND 1 ADULT.  THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION; THE FIRE STARTED IN THE LIVING ROOM


February 9, 2015

DAVIESS COUNTY, MO (KCTV) - 

Authorities say they have recovered two of three bodies of children who died in a northwest Missouri fire over the weekend.

Investigators were out Monday sifting through the rubble to see if they can figure out what sparked the fire that ripped through the two-story farm house near Jameson about 11:45 p.m. Saturday.

Daviess County Sheriff Ben Becerra said two bodies were recovered at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. One body is still missing in the debris.

Investigators say the children's 20-year-old uncle was babysitting them Saturday night. They were all asleep in the living room when the fire broke out.
Becerra said Allen Curtis and his fiancée, Cheyenne Uthe, lived at home with their children.

The sheriff says the uncle, Jordan Curtis, woke up after breathing in heavy smoke. They say he managed to get the two oldest children out of the house.
"Like anybody, that was his first reaction to get the kids out," Becerra said.
But the fire was too intense for him to rescue the three younger children.
Jazmin Curtis, 6, Conner Uthe, 2, and 9-month-old Cooper White died in the blaze. 

Becerra said about 16 minutes passed before 911 was notified because the uncle did not have his cell phone. It was in the fire. The children's parents showed up shortly after.

"In that short period of time, the interior of the house was engulfed in flames," Becerra said.

It took firefighters six minutes to arrive on the scene, and they fought fire for about five hours.

And in a case like this, Becerra said they're not just dealing with the elements but their own emotions.

"It is very tough. It doesn't matter if you're law enforcement, firefighters, Fire Marshal ... it is hard on everybody," he said.

Those two older children who made it out of the fire are in area hospitals trying to recover from their injuries. One of them is on a ventilator. The uncle is also in the hospital being treated for severe burns.

Drake Curtis, 8, is at Children's Mercy Hospital in critical condition with severe burns to his face, throat and arms. His 10-year-old-brother, Travis, is in serious condition at the same hospital.

Jordan Curtis is at the University of Kansas Hospital's burn unit in serious condition.

A cause isn't known at this time, but the sheriff said nothing indicates the cause of the fire is criminal.

"It is a tragedy, and the community comes together anytime a tragedy does take place," Becerra said.