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Canton neighbors react to deadly mobile home fire, leaving the community grieving
The Canton Township Fire Chief says it broke out around 5:40 p.m. at Glen Ridge Mobile Home Community, where two children died leaving neighbors in shock and grieving.
CANTON, Mich. (FOX 2) - A fast-moving fire in a mobile home has taken the lives of two children. Now, a third child is in critical but stable condition.
FOX 2 spoke to investigators, who are working to learn how the fire started. The heartbreaking scene in Canton left the community grieving as 2 kids were found dead after a fire broke out in their home just before the holidays. The remains of the house left nothing but soot and rubble.
Wendy Herdell is a neighbor in the area who is among those who were grieving. She is in disbelief that two of her young neighbors died due to the house fire on Sunday evening.
"There was a knock at the door, the mom was screaming, ‘call 911 we need help,’" she said. "They said that two of the kids were unaccounted for, and my sons were trying to help find the kids who were trapped."
Canton Township Fire Chief Chris Stoecklein says it broke out around 5:40 p.m. at Glen Ridge Mobile Home Community.
Herdell said she had just left to go grocery shopping. Meanwhile, her sons, who stayed home, jumped up to help when the mom of the family banged on their door, alerting them to the fire. She says they tried as best as they could to help, but now, they're grieving too.
"We've lived by them for 8 years, and they're a wonderful loving family, and we love them like they're our family," she said. "And they've lost everything."
When first responders arrived, the house was engulfed in flames, Stocklein says.
"When we arrived on-scene, there were 5 occupants outside the fire," he said. "And our crews began working on the patients at that time."
The family was taken to the hospital. Two of the children later died. The third, in critical condition.
"One of them wasn't breathing when they did find them, and they did CPR right here on the driveway."
She says she’ll miss hearing their laughter in the driveway.
"We couldn't be sorrier, and that we are here in anyway that we can, and we're loving on their puppy. We can't bring their kids back, we can't buy them a new house, but we're loving on their dog while they're not able to care for her."
The investigation continues, authorities are looking into how this happened.