Two Girls, Ages 1 And 2, Die In Apartment Fire Heater Suspected In Blaze South Of Seattle

An electric heater was being investigated as the possible cause of an apartment fire Friday that killed two children.

The two girls - ages 1 and 2 - were trapped on the upper floor of the townhouse unit at the Oak Tree apartments in White Center, south of Seattle.

A woman and two other children escaped. A ceiling fell on two firefighters, causing minor neck and back injuries, Highline Fire District fire marshal Scott LaVielle said.

Firefighters arrived just four minutes after the fire was reported at 7:44 a.m., but the apartment was already fully involved in flames, LaVielle said.

The fire had started in the living room, where the heater was located, and spread up the stairwell, he said.

Firefighters found the 1-year-old dead in her crib and the 2-year-old dead on the floor of another bedroom.

The woman who was watching the four children noticed the fire and sent a 5-year-old girl outside. She went upstairs with a 3-year-old boy to get the other two girls, LaVielle said.

Her husband arrived home at that time and also went upstairs. He took the boy and jumped out a window, injuring his leg, LaVielle said. The boy was OK.

The woman had the 2-year-old girl at one point and put her down to get the baby from the crib, LaVielle said. The 2-year-old then ran off, and when the woman tried to get her, the heat and smoke had become too intense, he said. The woman jumped out the window to escape.

She was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The dead children were the woman’s granddaughter and niece, LaVielle said. Three other units in the building were not damaged. The apartments have smoke alarms.

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