'We are left with the words of that 5-year-old child, that traumatized 5-year-old child, to help us understand how the lighter and the tree came together with tragic consequences,' said Philadelphia Fire Chief Adam Thiel.
Investigators are searching for what caused a fire to break out at a Philadelphia row house Wednesday morning that left at least 12 people dead, eight of whom were children.last week, including nine children, likely started after a Christmas tree was lit ablaze with a lighter, fire officials said Tuesday.
Only two people in the unit survived the fire, including a 5-year-old child, who fire officials believe was the only person on the second floor at the time the fire started, Thiel said. The blaze was very fast-moving and difficult to fight, with high heat, toxic smoke and no visibility. Within three minutes, it was"untenable and deadly," the fire chief said.
"I certainly understand the desire for simple, clear-cut answers. This is not a simple, clear-cut incident or investigation," he said.There were six fire alarms in the unit where the fire started, though none were operational, according to Thiel. Four were in drawers and inoperable, one was on the ceiling but did not have a battery, and another was on the floor of a bedroom without a battery.
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