Tragic Fire at Houston Home Daycare Kills 3 Babies, Injures 4
- Posted on February 24, 2011 at 8:56pm by
Meredith Jessup
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HOUSTON (AP) — A fire swept through a home daycare center Thursday, killing three children and injuring four others, fire officials said.
The blaze broke out at Jackie’s Child Care, which was being run out of a house in western Houston, Assistant Fire Chief Bill Barry said.
Firefighters arriving at the scene found two children who had been injured outside the home and five more trapped inside. They rescued those inside and took all seven children to four Houston hospitals. The children ranged in age from 18 months to 3 years old.
Three of the children died after being taken to a hospital, Barry said. No other information was immediately available on those who died or the conditions of those injured, but fire department spokesman Rick Flanagan told the Houston Chronicle that cardiopulmonary resuscitation was being performed on four children as they were being taken to the hospital.
Authorities were investigating the cause of the blaze.
Neighbor Michael McAndrews, 50, told the Chronicle that center operator Jessica Tata was outside the center during the fire yelling frantically, “My kids, my kids, pray for them.”
McAndrews said Tata told him that she had gone to the bathroom and returned to find the kitchen on fire.
Another neighbor, Sandy Sawyer, said she saw firefighters rushing children to ambulances.
“I saw them running down the street holding babies, running, because there wasn’t enough room for the emergency vehicles to get through,” she told the Chronicle.
Sawyer said when Tata was outside she thought there were still two children in the residence.
“She thought two of them crawled out of their cribs and didn’t know where they were,” Sawyer said.
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rbcintexas
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 12:25amIt is just coming out that the lady caring for these children may have left them alone and went to the grocery store to buy groceries. If that is the case, they need to throw the book at her. One of teh little girls had only been in her care for two days.
Report Post »ivdad
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 10:37pmAlso, another child died.
Report Post »ivdad
Posted on February 25, 2011 at 6:52pmProblem in Texas, is that you need less training to operate a day care and work as a day care worker, than if you want to work in a nail salon.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on February 25, 2011 at 1:48pmOh God, please bless these children & all of their loved ones. Help everyone involved find Your comfort.
Report Post »TheMarine
Posted on February 25, 2011 at 12:51pmThis is terrible. I cannot fathom the thought of losing my child, especially in a manner where suffering existed. Praying for the families, as only God can provide peace during a tragic event like this.
A Marine’s Perspective
Report Post »http://www.KevinWebb22.com
ImahaIngttta
Posted on February 25, 2011 at 12:19amGod help these families through their grief. The woman needs to be investigated. Hopefully, she is not at fault. But if so, the book needs to be thrown at her.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 10:41pmTragic for sure. Wouldn’t it be nice if more women could stay home with their children instead of having to go out to work to help pay for the high cost of living and TAXES! I pray for the victims and their families.
Report Post »waterman
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 10:37pmeternal rest grant unto them,o lord and let perpetual light shine upon there tiny souls.
Report Post »Freddd
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 10:31pmI pray for the parents. But something fishy about this story. Daycare provider goes to the bathroom, comes back kitchen on fire, stands outside screaming my babies, and doesn’t bring ONE baby out with her????
Report Post »goatkid
Posted on February 25, 2011 at 7:42am@fredd
Report Post »So very sad for everyone involved. I hope your wrong about that, but these things do happen. In any case they all need our prayers.
aragona
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 10:23pmSad, sad, sad.
Report Post »3boysamma
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 10:09pmMay the Lord comfort all of those who are in pain now. No parent should have to outlive their child and no child should have to suffer any pain.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 9:46pmGood lord please be with the injured and comfort the family of the lost children; they will need all of your guidance and counseling in addition to the comfort and sustaining hands you provide for all who will ask at any time and crisis.
Report Post »angelcat
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 9:52pmAmen. having lost a child myself, I hurt with the parents of those children who died.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 24, 2011 at 10:02pm@Angelcat
My sympathies and condolences go out to you; I have no children so cannot understand such a loss other than what I have seen it do to others.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 25, 2011 at 7:43am.
Report Post »Poor girl will get the blame for this accident, and the law will try to punish her. But the memories of this will be punishment for a lifetime. On all accounts she seems to be a good preson, just a bad thing….
Annette
Posted on February 25, 2011 at 10:14amthis story sounds incredibly fishy…the care provider got herself out. I would rather die than have babies deaths on my concience. not saying she did it on purpose, but there was no mention of her even trying to get the kids out…hmmmmm
Report Post »rbcintexas
Posted on February 26, 2011 at 12:28amIt just came out today that the lady caring for those children left them unattended and went to the grocery store. The fire occurred on the 2nd day that the child had been left with the woman.
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