GARY, Ind. (AP) - A two-story apartment was engulfed in flames and in “catastrophic conditions” when firefighters arrived at the scene of the arson fire that killed three young cousins on Christmas Eve last year, according to a report from the Gary Fire Department.
Firefighters said flames were coming out of the second-story windows and the living room floor was on fire, the Post-Tribune (https://trib.in/2k7yZNm ) reported.
Fire department officials said a man in the home had burns on up to 30 percent of his body, and a woman said she had neck and body pain after jumping out of a second-story window. The three children - ages 2, 4 and 5 - were pronounced dead at the scene.
The fire has been ruled an arson, but an investigation into what started the blaze is ongoing.
The report also outlines what investigators saw as they sifted through debris and the damage in the days after the fire. They found a 5-gallon gasoline container under a table after smelling a “petroleum-based substance,” which the report identifies as gasoline, near the stairs.
They took samples and found what appeared to be numerous burn patterns in the concrete and linoleum. They also found more pour patterns on the floor in the hallway, kitchen and living room.
An arson-sniffing canine pointed out three areas where an accelerant could’ve been used on two separate stairs in the stairway and in the north living room.
The kitchen and living room were completely destroyed, and there was also damage in the upstairs bedrooms.
The Indiana State Fire Marshal and Gary Police Department also are conducting their own investigations.
___
Information from: Post-Tribune, https://posttrib.chicagotribune.com/
Please read our comment policy before commenting.