AUSTIN, Texas — A child died and multiple other individuals were hospitalized after a fire at a mobile home in North Austin early Thursday morning.
Austin Fire Department (AFD) Division Chief Thayer Smith said that AFD received initial 911 reports of a mobile home on fire at around 3:45 a.m. Thursday, June 2. AFD and Austin Police Department (APD) crews quickly arrived to the scene at 8105 Research Boulevard, where they found a heavily-involved fire at a mobile home.
Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) medics arrived on the scene shortly after.
Both AFD and ATCEMS stated Thursday that it is believed 10 extended family members live in the mobile home – three adults and seven children. Nine of the residents were home at the time of the fire.
Five of the residents were able to get out of the home uninjured. Three patients, two adults and one child, were transported to Dell Seton Medical Center and Dell Children's Medical Center respectively. ATCEMS said one adult has critical, life-threatening injures, while the other adult and child have serious injuries.
At 4:57 a.m., ATCEMS medics declared a child dead at the scene of the fire. Smith later said AFD believes that child is a four-year-old girl.
"It's extremely tragic for the family, for all the responders, obviously a horrific scene for all of us," said Austin Fire Department Division Chief Thayer Smith.
Manuel Carbajal, who lives next door, said the flames were several feet high and he feels for the family.
"I feel sad because I have kids, you know, I feel bad for that," he said.
PHOTOS: North Austin mobile home fire
Just after 5:15 a.m., the Austin Police Department said it was investigating a suspicious death in the same block as the fire. An APD officer later confirmed that that investigation is in connection with the child's death. They said arson investigators are taking the lead with the investigation into Thursday's fire, but a homicide detective is on the scene, as is standard practice.
On May 18, firefighters responded to two mobile homes that caught on fire at the same address as Thursday morning's fire. Six people were taken to the hospital after the May fire, including three children. Thayer said Thursday that the May 18 and June 2 fires are unrelated.
Smith said firefighters were able to contain Thursday's fire to one mobile home. Investigators later said the cause of the fire was ruled as accidental and that the fire started from a portable cooking appliance.
The home and its contents have been ruled a total loss.
AFD's community outreach division conducted a smoke alarm canvas in the neighborhood at 8501 Research Boulevard after the fire. The canvas was scheduled for Saturday, but AFD said the "criticality of ensuring safe homes couldn't wait." Eighty devices were installed.
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