BALTIMORE — Three people were killed and six others, including five children, were injured in a house fire in East Baltimore early Monday, fire officials said.
Baltimore City Fire Department spokeswoman Blair Adams said that around 5 a.m. firefighters were called to the 1500 block of North Patterson Park Avenue for a fire in the Broadway East neighborhood.
When firefighters arrived, Adams said there was heavy fire showing from multiple floors. Adams said the initial 911 call said the children were at the house overnight for a sleepover.
Once the firefighters gained control of the fire and were able to enter the rowhouse, firefighters found two victims on the first floor of the home. During a second search, Adams said, the third victim was found. It is unclear where that person was found in the house.
In addition to people who were killed, five children and one adult were taken to area hospitals. Adams said they suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries. The people who were killed were not identified.
Jessica Waters said she was asleep inside her home on the block when all of a sudden she heard screaming.
“Help! Help!” she heard a man shriek.
The 29-year-old rushed out of her home and across the street to help her neighbors.
Waters said she first carried an older woman across the street to safety. Then, as she dashed back across the street and looked up, Waters saw a boy falling from a window. She stretched out her arms, safely grabbing him and then wrapping him in a blanket.
“I just did what felt right,” she said.
She also helped usher several other children out of the front door and then made sure they all got medical attention from first responders.
“I was a little distraught because there were three other people in there that I couldn’t save so that did something to me,” she said. “But I’m just glad I was able to help.”
The home that caught fire had working smoke alarms and the cause of the blaze is under investigation, fire officials said department said.
