4 young siblings killed in blaze

[Roses]

Posted on Wed, Apr. 05, 2006


Mother, her boyfriend can only watch, wait for truck with ladder

Associated Press

CLEVELAND - Four young siblings died in an apartment fire early Tuesday while their mother and her boyfriend waited for firefighters to bring a truck with a ladder long enough to reach the children.

Aleyshia Hayes, 8, twins Marvin and Markel Hayes, 5, and Rachel Hayes, 3, were found dead in the third-floor bedroom where they were trapped, fire department spokesman Larry Gray said.

Firefighters were responding to a car fire down the street at 4:45 a.m. when they saw smoke coming out of the three-story brick building, Assistant Fire Chief Mike Darnell said. Another firetruck was called to reach the children on the top floor because the truck responding to the car fire did not have a long enough ladder.

Carl Bell, boyfriend of the victims' mother, Raquel Stewart-Hayes, said the children were crying for him to help them.

``There was so much heat in that house that when I tried to go in front to get the kids, I got a little burnt on my back from that, just from the heat,'' he said.

Tears streamed down his face and his voice broke as he described waiting for the second truck to arrive.

``We just waited for the right ladder,'' Bell said. ``There were other people, too. `I said I've got four kids up there, four kids.' They put a ladder up there but they couldn't reach the window.''

Eight people were in the east side apartment. Bell and Stewart-Hayes were treated for minor injuries. Another adult and an infant were taken to a nearby hospital, Gray said. He did not know their conditions.

Cuyahoga County Coroner Elizabeth Balraj said the children were pronounced dead at University Hospitals at 5 a.m. She said autopsy results will be completed Wednesday.

Patricia Evans, the children's grandmother, could barely speak as she sobbed outside the hospital where the children were taken.

``It hurts so bad. I'm empty,'' she said. ``They were my grandchildren. I was just telling my daughter about Easter -- `Let's go shopping.'

``I love them dearly. I miss them. We have no money to bury them. I want the city of Cleveland to pray for me and my family.''

As the sun came up Tuesday, arson investigators could be seen through jagged broken windows sifting through rubble. Broken glass covered the sidewalk in front of the building, which was surrounded by yellow tape.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

``It's tough on the firefighters,'' Darnell said.

The fire is believed to have started on the second floor, where apartments are located, Gray said.

A dry cleaner, hair salon and deli called Big Daddy's are located on the street level. A sign was posted in the deli window: ``Closed Today Due 2 Our Loss.''

Kevin Eubanks, the deli's manager, lives across the street and said that when he woke up, he thought his house was on fire.

``All I heard was people screaming. I heard, `Get out of the house, there's a fire,' '' he said.

He saw a man dangling from a third-floor window, with heavy smoke pouring out.

``One guy was hanging out the window on the front trying to jump down,'' Eubanks said. ``A fireman put him on his back.''

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

© 2006 Beacon Journal and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.ohio.com

http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/ohio...nel=ohio_state

[Roses]

Posted on Sat, Apr. 08, 2006


Associated Press

CLEVELAND - The deaths of four children in a fire at an apartment building have been ruled homicides, a fire department spokesman said Saturday.

The Cuyahoga County coroner's ruling was made public on Saturday, Cleveland Fire Department spokesman Larry Gray said.

"We're still investigating," Gray said. "I heard that Monday or Tuesday we will probably be having a press conference announcing more."

Coroner Elizabeth Balraj was not available for comment, her office said.

The children, who were siblings, all died of smoke inhalation in the fire on Tuesday.

Aleyshia Hayes, 8, twins Marvin III and Markel, 5, and Racheal, 3, were found dead in the third-floor bedroom where they were trapped.

Firefighters were responding to a car fire down the street at 4:45 a.m. when they saw smoke coming out of the three-story brick building. A second fire truck had to be called to reach the children on the building's top floor because the truck responding to the car fire did not have a long enough ladder.

A house fire in the city last May killed nine people, eight of them children. It was ruled arson.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

© 2006 AP Wire and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.ohio.com

http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/ohio...e/14298552.htm