A tragic incident unfolded in Arizona as a house fire took the lives of a father, his four children, and a young relative while the father was away shopping for Christmas, as reported by the police. Authorities disclosed on Monday that the blaze, which occurred on Saturday evening, engulfed the two-story house, leaving no survivors.
Among the victims, an eleven-year-old was a visiting relative, and the remaining four were siblings, aged between two and thirteen years old. The authorities have refrained from releasing the names of the children and the father as they diligently pursue their investigation into the fire.
A fire broke out in Bullhead City, which is located approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Las Vegas, just before 17:00 local time (1:00 GMT) on Saturday.
“According to Bullhead City police, the children’s father left to buy groceries and Christmas gifts for approximately 2.5 hours.
The fire was reportedly started at the entranceway of the downstairs area, which, as stated by the authorities, probably prevented the children from safely escaping.
A bedroom on the upper floor was discovered with all five bodies. The fire appeared to have made its way up the house’s only staircase, preventing them from escaping.
Witnesses reported seeing residents frantically gather hoses and ladders to put out the fire.
Patrick O’Neal, an eyewitness to the incident, reported to the local CBS News affiliate KTVK, saying, We opened the garage door, and there were individuals removing items. As we approached the door, smoke began to fill the garage, causing discomfort and making it difficult for people to breathe.”