First responders rushed to the scene of a deadly fire at a Key West apartment.
It happened Thursday evening in a three-bedroom unit in a public housing building at 1010 Emma St. in the island’s Bahama Village neighborhood.
According to authorities, two adults and one child were killed in the blaze. They were identified Friday as Jean Decimy, 41, Evelyne Pierre, 38, and Dave Decimy, 7.
Video taken at the scene shows several people near the home, very frantic and shouting as they try to help. Witnesses nearby can be heard shouting about other people still being inside the home.
“The fire was so fast. It was unbelievable,” neighbor Millicent Weech said. “In all the years we have lived here, we have never seen anything like this.”
Noon report:
Key West Fire Department Chief Alan Averette said three other children were taken to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, where they were being treated for burns and smoke inhalation. They were identified as Jean Decimy, 14, Sanaika Decimy, 13, and Sadrac Decimy, 5.
One of the surviving children was in critical condition as of Friday morning, he said.
Neighbors said all the family members were upstairs when the fire broke out downstairs, making it difficult for them to escape. One of the children upstairs jumped out of the second-floor window to escape, falling on concrete.
Averette said smoke inhalation was likely to blame for the victims’ deaths.
“Smoke is deadly. The smoke is what knocks them down. The smoke is very deadly. And you know, once that smoke got into their lungs, they all went down and then and then they did get burned too,” he said. “I think the smoke is what really took them down.”
The victims, officials said, are from Haiti.
“People (were) trying to help them, but it was a language barrier, so nobody understood them what they were saying. But it was people trying to help,” neighbor Lucie Vega said. “Someone pulled a little boy out (of) the fire. But, I mean, he died so and the little girl, she came out and she was like, ‘Oh, my parents, my parents, my parents.’ And she said, ‘I made the fire,’ which means that she was in the fire.”
Neighbors praised the quick response of Key West police officers and firefighters, who were at the scene within minutes trying to save the victims.
Authorities said the American Red Cross responded Thursday night to assist anyone displaced by the fire with finding a place to stay.
“This is tragic to anybody,” Weech said.
Averette said it’s too soon to speculate what caused the deadly blaze. Neighbors speculated that because of cold temperatures, a space heater may be to blame.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
The unit is considered to be a total loss; no neighboring units were damaged.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help the Decimy family.
First responders rushed to the scene of a deadly fire in Key West.
KEY WEST, Fla. – First responders rushed to the scene of a deadly fire at a Key West apartment.
It happened Thursday evening in a three-bedroom unit in a public housing building at 1010 Emma St. in the island’s Bahama Village neighborhood.
According to authorities, two adults and one child were killed in the blaze. They were identified Friday as Jean Decimy, 41, Evelyne Pierre, 38, and Dave Decimy, 7.
Video taken at the scene shows several people near the home, very frantic and shouting as they try to help. Witnesses nearby can be heard shouting about other people still being inside the home.
“The fire was so fast. It was unbelievable,” neighbor Millicent Weech said. “In all the years we have lived here, we have never seen anything like this.”
Noon report:
Key West Fire Department Chief Alan Averette said three other children were taken to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, where they were being treated for burns and smoke inhalation. They were identified as Jean Decimy, 14, Sanaika Decimy, 13, and Sadrac Decimy, 5.
One of the surviving children was in critical condition as of Friday morning, he said.
Neighbors said all the family members were upstairs when the fire broke out downstairs, making it difficult for them to escape. One of the children upstairs jumped out of the second-floor window to escape, falling on concrete.
Averette said smoke inhalation was likely to blame for the victims’ deaths.
“Smoke is deadly. The smoke is what knocks them down. The smoke is very deadly. And you know, once that smoke got into their lungs, they all went down and then and then they did get burned too,” he said. “I think the smoke is what really took them down.”
The victims, officials said, are from Haiti.
“People (were) trying to help them, but it was a language barrier, so nobody understood them what they were saying. But it was people trying to help,” neighbor Lucie Vega said. “Someone pulled a little boy out (of) the fire. But, I mean, he died so and the little girl, she came out and she was like, ‘Oh, my parents, my parents, my parents.’ And she said, ‘I made the fire,’ which means that she was in the fire.”
Neighbors praised the quick response of Key West police officers and firefighters, who were at the scene within minutes trying to save the victims.
Authorities said the American Red Cross responded Thursday night to assist anyone displaced by the fire with finding a place to stay.
“This is tragic to anybody,” Weech said.
Averette said it’s too soon to speculate what caused the deadly blaze. Neighbors speculated that because of cold temperatures, a space heater may be to blame.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
The unit is considered to be a total loss; no neighboring units were damaged.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help the Decimy family.
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