MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930
mebrady@co.pg.md.us @PGFDPIO
Four members of a Chillum family perished when their home caught fire and they were trapped inside. Firefighters were alerted to the house fire at 2:03 this morning after a neighbor called 911 to report a house across the street was on fire. Subsequent 911 callers
reported that people were trapped inside the burning house at 6720 Knollbrook
Drive in Chillum. Firefighters arrived
just 4 minutes after being alerted and arrived to find a 2-story single family
home with fire and smoke showing from every window and door on the front, rear
and side on both floors of the house. Frantic
family members out front confirmed to firefighters that multiple people were trapped inside.
Firefighters knocked down a portion
of the fire from the homes exterior before making entry to search for the
trapped occupants.
Firefighters quickly found and brought
out 2-year twins, Anna Omijie and Israel Omijie, and immediately began CPR
and transported them to Children's National Medical Center. Tragically, both children were pronounced
deceased a short time after arriving at the hospital.
The twin’s grandmother, 55-year-old
Caroline Omogbo, was brought out by firefighters, where paramedics pronounced
her deceased on the scene.
Samson Omogbo, 63-year-old grandfather,
was also pronounced deceased inside the home.
All of the deceased were located on the second floor in bedrooms. The twins in one bedroom and the grandparents in their own bedroom.
The mother of twins jumped from a
2nd floor window and was transported to a local hospital with non-life
threatening injuries to her extremities.
Two other adult female family members were able
to escape unharmed.
Prince George’s and Montgomery
County Firefighters completed extinguishment of the fire within 30 minutes of
arrival.
Fire Investigators stated there is
no evidence of a smoke alarm found in the home.
The cause and origin investigation continues and for now the cause of
the fire is undetermined. Nothing
suspicious was found during the course of the investigation leading
Investigators to believe the cause will be accidental, however, the
investigation remains open and on going.
Fire loss is estimated at $250,000.
Firefighters will be returning to
the Knollbrook community at 1:00 pm to check on neighbors smoke alarms. If one is found to be non-working, over 10
years old or missing a new 10-year smoke alarm will be installed, free of
charge.
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| Image by Mark E. Brady |
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