BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — Update (1/9):
The Blount County Sheriff's Office said a house fire that killed a 2-year-old girl was caused by an "unpreventable electrical [fire] at an electrical receptacle."
The Blount County Fire Investigation Team met Monday afternoon at the scene of the fire to investigate what caused it, according to BCSO. The fire happened at a mobile home on Old White's Mill Road Sunday morning, BCSO said.
An autopsy on the 2-year-old confirmed evidence that's consistent with the findings of the Blount County Fire Investigation Team, according to BCSO.
"We got that call. It was just something that I felt uncomfortable that it was gonna be a bad fire," said Blount County Fire Chief Doug McClanahan "En route, dispatchers told us that we had a baby that was still inside they couldn't get out."
On Sunday, a 2-year-old girl died in a fire, and three other children were hospitalized.
The fire chief said the children were taken to the hospital to make sure the smoke had not affected them. They were fine, he said. When firefighters arrived at the scene there was heavy fire and heavy smoke, the fire chief said, and it was coming out of at least half of the mobile home.
"We highly recommend and urge everybody to have working smoke alarms, at least one on each level of the house, the more you have, the better you're going to be," McClanahan said. "The second one is carbon monoxide, alarms, anything that burns like your fireplace, your gas, heat your gas stove, anything that burns a fuel will put off carbon monoxide."
People can register for the Fire Protection District, McClanahan said. This subscription provides fire prevention, fire alarm investigations, vehicle wreck rescue, collapse rescue and much more. This subscription is available to people who live in a house, mobile or motor home, and trailer.
A tragedy like this affects everyone involved, the fire chief said. While he has been working with the fire department since 1977, he said these types of tragedies don't get easier. He has just learned how to cope with them.
"Say a prayer for the families and our responders," McClanahan said. "I can't imagine what these families are going through in losing a child."
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Previous:
The Blount County Sheriff's Office said a 2-year-old girl died after a house fire in Blount County on Sunday.
The fire happened at a mobile home on White's Mill Road Sunday morning, according to BCSO.
There was a woman and other children also at home when the fire broke out. Three people were taken to the hospital, BCSO said.
One BCSO deputy was injured while trying to break glass to get inside the house and received stitches at Blount Memorial Hospital, according to BCSO.
The Blount County Fire Investigation team is investigating the cause of the fire, BCSO said.
This is an ongoing story and we will update you as we learn more.