House Fire Kills 7 Children, 2 Adults
BALTIMORE — A fire engulfed a row house, killing seven children and two adults, because the residents were burning candles after their electricity had been cut off, fire officials said Sunday.
A 21-year-old woman dropped her 2-year-old son to safety from a second-floor window and then jumped, breaking her ankle, fire officials said.
The only other survivor was a 14-year-old boy who told investigators that he was awakened by the heat and screamed to wake the others upstairs. All of the dead were found upstairs.
Investigators believe that the fire late Saturday started in the downstairs living room.
Power was shut off Oct. 11 after the electric bill for the row house had mounted to $1,400, Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. spokesman Kevin Thornton said.
The company offered to allow the bill to be paid off over a one- to four-year period, but the residents never responded, he said.
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