Identities of children killed in Youngstown house fire released
Officials have confirmed the identities of the five children killed in a late night fire on Sunday.
Officials have confirmed the identities of the five children killed in a late night fire on Sunday.
The five children were killed after a house at 434 Parkcliffe Avenue caught fire around 11:30 p.m.
The Mahoning County Coroner's Office confirms the children are Aleysha Rosario (9), Charles Gunn (3), Ly'Asia Gunn (2), and Brianna and Arianna Negron (1).
Their mother 26-year-old, America Negron Acevedo, has been transferred to MetroHealth's Burn Center in Cleveland where she is receiving medical treatment.
Acevedo's mother says she is sedated and unconscious, after suffering from burns and inhaling smoke.
Acevedo's family says she is unaware of what is going on.
A MetroHealth spokesperson says Acevedo is in "stable but critical" condition.
A neighbor reportedly called 9-1-1 and alerted authorities to the blaze.
Sources tell 21 News, Acevedo reportedly jumped out of a window and told firefighters at the scene that five children were still inside the burning home.
Acevedo's mother says her daughter tried her best to rescue the children.
Firefighters battled flames at the front part of the home and then immediately searched for the children, who are said to age nine, three, two and one-year-old twins.
Rescuers were able to get three of the five children out of the structure. Those children were given CPR and they, along with Acevedo, were taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown.
The three children that were pulled from the house by rescuers later died at St. Elizabeth due to their injuries.
21 News was also told that two Youngstown firefighters were injured, one was taken to the hospital and another one was treated on scene.
Fire Chief Barry Finley says one of those firefighters suffered a cut to the chin. However, the second firefighter was inside the home when a ceiling collapsed on top of him.
Finley says that firefighter suffered second-degree burns on his back after embers found their way down the back of his firefighting gear.
Both firefighters were treated and released.
Firefighters on scene said the images they saw that night are something they will never forget and especially weigh on them knowing that Christmas is only two weeks away.
“It's extremely hard,” said Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley. “We have a relatively young department and most the guys have children. So it hits pretty hard and the fact that it's so close to Christmas hits even harder.”
Investigators from the Youngstown Fire Arson Unit are investigating the cause of the fire. State arson investigators and Youngstown Police Detectives are also working with them to go over all of the evidence.
According to the fire investigator, the fire started on the first floor of the building.
At this point, we're told they have no reason to believe that the fire was anything other than an accident.
Neighbors tell 21 News that the family was fairly new to the neighborhood and only moved into the home six months ago.
People from around the area have already shown their compassion by dropping off a teddy bear in front of the home. Some of the people that have stopped by did not know the family, but they heard the story on the news and wanted to help out any way they could.