An Atlanta area duplex caught fire Tuesday night, claiming the lives of four children, including an 8-month-old infant. The Conyers, Ga., home was occupied by a family of seven: five children, their mother and grandmother. According to the Associated Press the surviving child, 6, was thrown from a second-story window by his mother. Although the boy suffered a shoulder injury, his mother’s decision saved his life. The children’s grandmother escaped the blaze unharmed, but the mother suffered second- and third-degree burns.
Conyers police told reporters that in addition to the infant, the children who died were ages 9, 7, 3. First responders arrived at the two-story duplex within 30 seconds of the emergency call, and attempted to battle the fire with handheld fire extinguishers. By the time firefighters arrived the home was completely ablaze.
“They had flames coming out at least two windows, one on the back side, and they entered the home, went upstairs and extinguished the fire while another crew retrieved the children and brought them out to try to revive them,” Rockdale County Fire and Rescue Chief Dan Morgan told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The mother of the victims is now being treated for her burns at Grady Memorial Hospital. Though authorities could not initially determine a cause to the fire, investigators will examine the scene Wednesday.
