Naomi Quetzalli, 8, died after being taken to the hospital, according to family members. Her brother, who is 14, is in critical condition.
KENNEWICK, Wash. – Family and friends of a Kennewick couple have set up a fund after their children were involved in a fatal fire Saturday morning in Kennewick. One of their children died shortly after being taken to the hospital, according to family members.
It happened on the 7300 block of West Bonnie Avenue. The call for help came in just after 11 a.m. Emergency dispatchers reported callers said there was a child on top of a motor home and it appeared to be on fire. Officers with the Kennewick Police Department were also called to the scene and confirmed a 14-year-old boy had been able to climb out of the burning home. Officers reported the child said there was another child trapped in the home.
Fire crews from the Kennewick Fire Department, Benton County Fire District 1 and Richland Fire responded to the scene with most crews arriving within five minutes of the call. Upon hearing there was a child still trapped in the home, fire crews used equipment to get into the motorhome’s locked door. When firefighters entered the home, they said they found the child and brought them outside. Both children were taken to the hospital and were listed in critical condition at that time.
Fire crews said they were able to get the fire under control in just under half an hour, but the home was considered a total loss. One firefighter was hurt, but their injuries were reported to be minor and they were treated at a nearby hospital.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Family members said they suspect it could have something to do with a space heater that was found inside the motorhome at the time of the fire.
The children were identified as Naomi Quetazalli, 8, and Lotar Jaciel, 14. Naomi died a short time after the fire in the hospital. Lotar remains in critical condition at this time. He suffered severe burns to his body and will need to be in the hospital for an extended period of time, according to family members.
At the time of the fire, family members reported their father was out of state due to work and their mother had left earlier that morning for her job.
If you would like to help the family with funeral and medical expenses for the children, click here to donate online.
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