Adrian Cross, 12, was killed in a house fire on Monday night when he ran back to help his siblings escape
A young Wisconsin boy died in a house fire while trying to save his siblings, unaware that they had already escaped the burning home.
Adrian Cross, 12, died on September 24 when he became trapped on the second floor of a burning home in Milwaukee late Monday night.
The boy went inside to get his brothers not realizing that his family had made it out and were safe.
‘He went in to get his brothers. That’s what he was trying to do,’ his grandmother said, June Cross, told Fox6.
‘All of a sudden, (the family) started screaming,’ she said.
Authorities said the fire broke out downstairs and quickly spread upstairs.
Cross said the flames were ‘intense’.
‘It was like it wasn’t giving up,’ the grieving woman told the outlet.
The fire broke out late Monday in a downstairs room in the house and quickly spread upstairs
Family said Adrian became trapped on the second floor after he ran back inside the house. The little boy did not know his family had already escaped
Milwaukee Fire Chief Mark Rohlfing said firefighters were on the scene three minutes after receiving the call, but ‘the fire was too far along’. Authorities are now investigating to determine what sparked the fire.
According to the Wichita Eagle, six adults and four kids managed to escape the blaze. Fire officials did not find working smoke detectors in the home.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Rohlfing urged residents to make sure they had a fire evacuation plan in place. Fire officials also went door-to-door asking residents if they had working smoke detectors.
‘Talk about, “how do I get out of a room if there is a fire. What are my two ways out?” Think about having a meeting place outside,’ Rohlfing said.
Cross said she and her family are leaning on their faith to get them through this difficult time.
The boy’s grandmother, June Cross, said she and her family are relying on faith to get them through the difficulty
Fire officials said working smoke detectors were not found in the home, and urged residents to check their smoke alarms
‘Through God, because that is the only strength we’ve got,’ Cross said. ‘I know God has better plans for all of us.’
In a Facebook post honoring her grandson, she wrote: ‘I would like to Thank the Lord for Blessing us with our grandson Lil Adrian our loss is knowing He in your hands.’
None of the other family members were injured in the fire. The Red Cross is assisting the family.