Following the devastating fire that claimed the lives of five children, it has emerged that the father was out Christmas shopping for his kids at the time of the incident.
As previously reported, the incident unfolded at the 400 block of Anna Circle in Bullhead City, located in northwestern Arizona near the Arizona-Nevada border, at approximately 5:00PM on Saturday.
Emergency services swiftly responded to the scene, a two-story duplex engulfed in a fierce blaze. Despite their efforts, the young victims, aged between two and 13 years old, were tragically unable to escape the inferno.
It was revealed that four of the children were siblings, while the fifth was a relative. Emily Fromelt, spokesperson for the Bullhead City Police Department, confirmed that all five victims resided in the duplex, and it was reported that there were no adults on the property when the fire broke out, per the Daily Mail.
As reported by BBC News, new details have revealed that the father of four of the children had been away for approximately 2.5 hours, as he did some Christmas shopping and ran grocery errands.
"The children's father reported to investigators that he was gone for approximately 2.5 hours to buy groceries and Christmas gifts," the Bullhead City police said in a statement.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire originated in the downstairs entranceway, rendering it nearly impossible for the children to escape the home.
Tragically, all five victims were found in the same upstairs bedroom, as the fire had ascended the home's only staircase, obstructing their route to safety.
Witnesses recounted the frantic efforts of neighbors, who brought hoses and ladders in a desperate attempt to combat the flames. Patrick O'Neal, a witness, described the scene, saying: "We pulled the garage door open, there was guys pulling stuff out... The closer we got to the door there was smoke starting to come into the garage and choking people out."
The neighbors were unaware that anyone was inside the home, and would have attempted to rescue the children if they had known, O'Neal added.
In response to the tragedy, a GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the grieving parents.
Kilee Stockton, the organizer, wrote: "On December 16th, 2023, a tragedy occurred in the 400 block of Anna Circle in Bullhead City, AZ. My dear friend Nikki lost her children in a house fire."
The description further explained that the funds raised were intended to help the affected parents with any necessary expenses.
At the time of writing, the fundraiser has gained just over $16,000 from 331 donations.
A vigil is scheduled to take place in a local park on Wednesday night to commemorate the victims. Investigations into the cause of the fire remain ongoing.
Our thoughts remain with all those affected by this tragedy.
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