Unattended cooking led to fire that killed 5 children in Greensboro, fire department says
By Jennifer Fernandez
May 18, 2018 Updated 9 hrs ago
Updated 6:03 p.m.
GREENSBORO — Food left on a stove, not defective equipment, caused an apartment fire early Saturday that left five children dead, fire officials said.
"We had an extensive interview with the mother and father yesterday, which led to this determination to the cause and origin," Assistant Fire Chief Dwayne Church said Friday.
Some extended family and community members had complained at a public meeting earlier this week about substandard conditions at the apartment complex at 3100 Summit Ave. Some said the family's stove had been on the fritz.
"That specific question was asked in the interview and that was determined to be false," Church said.
The parents told fire officials there was a problem with the stove but it was repaired and there had been no problems since March, he said.
"It was an accidental fire," Church said.
Firefighters responded about 4 a.m. Saturday to Unit G in the apartment complex at the corner of Summit Avenue and East Cone Boulevard.
Firefighters called to the scene were able to get to the five children inside, three boys and two girls from 18 months to 9 years old, but they all died within the next 24 hours, unable to overcome their injuries.
The father, who works at a local factory, was home with the children but could not get them out. He suffered from smoke inhalation. The mother was working the overnight shift at a chicken plant several counties away.
The two-story townhouse had no sprinklers and no working smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, fire officials said.
Church did not have an estimate for the cost of the damage, which was contained to the one apartment.
"But that appartment's going to have to be totally refurbished," he said.
City officials announced during Wednesday's meeting that housing inspectors would go door-to-door early next week to conduct inspections on every unit at the complex, which is managed by the Arco Realty Co. Beth Benton, the city’s Code Compliance manager, said that action was possible after five residents — the minimum necessary to take action — had signed a petition.
The company, which is owned by Bill Agapion and several family members, has battled the city for decades over several hundred code violations at his extensive properties, many of them having been low-income rentals that fall below housing code standards.
There have been fewer code violations in recent years, but immigration advocates and tenants allege that the property manager at the Summit Avenue complex has been slow to make repairs. The units were inspected and in compliance with city housing codes 18 months ago.
Earlier this week, Irene Agapion-Martinez turned over tenants’ repair requests for the past month to a detective and the fire investigator. None were made about a stove in the affected family’s unit, she said.
The North Carolina African Services Coalition placed the family at the apartment complex 18 months ago, when they arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a resettlement program. But the agency has since stopped setting up homes there because of complaints about living conditions.
Officials have yet to identify the family.
The city has offered free burial plots and others are working on permanent housing for the parents. They have found a place to stay for now, Church said.
A gofundme account has been set up to help with expenses. It had raised about $39,000 through early Friday evening.
A private funeral is planned for May 26.
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GREENSBORO — Unattended cooking was the origin and cause of the May 12 apartment fire that killed five children, a Greensboro Fire Department investigation has concluded.
After examining the fire scene at 3100 Summit Ave., Apt. G, investigators determined the room of origin of the fire was the kitchen, with the area of origin being the range, according to a city news release. Once the origin area was identified, the investigators narrowed the cause to unattended cooking and that the fire was accidental in nature.
The fire department said its investigative report does not, nor is it intended to, contain every detail as part of the origin and cause analysis. Also, the identification of parties having possible civil and/or criminal responsibility for the fire is beyond the scope of analysis contained in the report.
Two of the children died shortly after the fire broke out at the apartment complex. Three children died of their injuries Sunday at Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem. All had been brought there in critical condition Saturday.
The children ranged in age from 18 months to 6 or 8 years old.
The city said in the release the fire marshal and Fire and Life Safety Division conducted their investigation using the National Fire Protection Association 921 guide, which sets the bar for scientific-based investigations into origins and causes of fires and explosions.
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Unattended Cooking Led to Deadly Greensboro Apartment Fire: Investigators
Investigators say after examining the fire scene, they determined the room of origin of the fire was the kitchen, with the area of origin being the range.
Author: WFMY News 2 Digtal
Published: 1:48 PM EDT May 18, 2018
Updated: 10:32 PM EDT May 18, 2018
GREENSBORO, N.C.-- The origin and cause of the May 12 fatal apartment fire was unattended cooking, the Greensboro Fire Department says.
The fire led to the death of five children who were pulled from the apartment.
Investigators say after examining the fire scene, they determined the room of origin of the fire was the kitchen, with the area of origin being the range.
Once the origin area was identified, the investigators narrowed the cause too unattended cooking and that the fire was accidental in nature.
Here are confirmed facts about the victims and the fire, that we know so far:
When and where did the fire happen?
According to the Greensboro Fire Department:
The first fire call was reported into Guilford Metro 911 at 3:54am, Saturday to the 3100 block of Summit Avenue.
Firefighters arrived, within four minutes of the call. They saw smoke and heavy flames coming from the apartment.
One adult and five children were removed from the apartment, which was fifteen minutes after the dispatch.
4:18 the fire is out and crews are working to remediate smoke and carbon monoxide levels.
Fire investigators said the fire started in the kitchen.
Fire crews are focusing on the stove.
Fire investigators said they believe the fire was accidental.
Who are the children, the family?
The children range in age from 18 months to 9 years old, according to the NC Department of Insurance (NCDOI). The family is from Congo. Firefighters said the children included two girls and three boys.
2 of the children died Saturday
3 children died Sunday
The children attended Rankin Elementary School.
Rankin Elementary staff is working on a plan to help the family
Where there smoke detectors in the apartment?
Yes, BUT they were NOT working, the NCDOI confirms. Fire investigators said there were batteries in the alarms but they don't know whether they were operating at the time.
In 2017, the fire department installed 14 alarms in the complex where the family lived. They also said the apartment building is up to code.
The Greensboro Fire Department says, this is the deadliest fire since the 2004 Campus Walk Apartment Fire.
From Saturday, May 12: Greensboro doing what they can to help family after deadly apartment fire.
All the children were under eight years old and were refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the North Carolina African Services Coalition.
"Dreams for a better life were destroyed for this family. Refugees from the Congo. Five children under eight yrs old have died as a result from a house fire this weekend. Sadness & loss too large to imagine on this Mother's Day. Prayers for this family. Embrace them in love."