DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A three-year-old has died after a fire in Decatur Saturday evening.
The Decatur Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire at the intersection of S. Jackson and Sheridan Streets shortly after 7 p.m. While they were en route, the crew was informed that there was possibly a child trapped inside the residence.
When crews arrived, they saw smoke coming from the second floor. Neighbors told firefighters the child’s last known location.
The first engine crew to arrive used a ladder to access the second floor for a search operation. The second group that arrived focused on putting out the fire. A third team then joined in to assist with locating the missing child.
Firefighters discovered a three-year-old child and attempted to resuscitate them before transporting them to Decatur Memorial Hospital. Unfortunately, despite their efforts, the child succumbed to the injuries sustained in the fire.
The fire department, in coordination with the Decatur Police Department and the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, is currently investigating the cause of the fire.
