BULLHEAD CITY, AZ – A devastating fire claimed the lives of five children in a duplex in Bullhead City, Arizona. The children, left alone as their father went out for Christmas shopping, were unable to escape the fast-spreading flames. The local police department confirmed that all victims were the grandchildren of an employee of the local fire department.
The siblings aged 13, 5, 4, and 2, along with an 11-year-old relative who was visiting, were all in the same upstairs bedroom when the fire started. Despite the fire department’s swift response, arriving just four minutes after the emergency call, the children could not be saved.
The fire, which is believed to have started in the downstairs foyer, quickly spread up the only staircase in the house, blocking the children’s escape route.
The identities of the victims are pending official confirmation by the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Due to the familial connection to a local fire department employee, the investigation has been augmented by the Lake Havasu City Fire Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF).
The tight-knit community of Bullhead City rallied in the face of the tragedy, with neighbors attempting to rescue the children. Despite the thick smoke and intense flames, they made every effort to reach the children, a testament to the community’s spirit of unity and care.
Neighbors like Patrick O’Neal, who was among those who attempted the rescue, expressed gratitude for the community’s response, stating, “We did everything we could and thank you to everyone that did try to help.”