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CNN Live Today

Deadly Fourth of July Blaze Cancels Celebrations

Aired July 04, 2002 - 14:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: On to New Jersey now for a very tragic story. The body of a third child now has been found in a fire -- remains that also claimed the lives of three firefighters. The community is in shock and holiday celebrations have been canceled. Esther Miller of our affiliate KYW in Philadelphia has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ESTHER MILLER, KYW REPORTER (voice-over): Neighbors saying they felt helpless as flames shot 12 feet high, ripping through 200 and 202 North Broadway in Gloucester City at 1:30 in the morning. Three children and their parents were trapped inside. More than a dozen firefighters went in to attempt a rescue when part of the house came crashing down, trapping eight firefighters.

CHIEF BILL GLASSMAN, GLOUCESTER CITY FIRE DEPT: There was a total collapse of both buildings. If you can see the pile up there, basically the third floor roof came completely down on top of and to, floor by floor, down to the first floor.

MILLER: Five firefighters barely escaped, pulled out alive. But three didn't. By sunrise, firefighters picked through the rubble, pulling them out. Dozens of fire rescue personnel stood at attention at salute, as their flag-draped bodies were removed. Two children's bodies were recovered while neighbors watched.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were two twins, they're both three years old. And there was a five year old, and they said they're all dead.

GLASSMAN: There have been a couple of children recovered from the debris at the present time. The problem is we're not sure because of the accountability issue, how many people were actually missing, residents-wise.

MILLER: Family and friends of victims met at Saint Mary's Church nearby. What was supposed to be a day of celebration is now a day of grieving and sorrow for so many.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know how they do it. God bless them. For all the firefighters, too. They put their life on the line every day. And this is what they do. And it's people like these that we should honor every day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In Gloucester City, CNN's Michael Okwu is there and he's following the story. Michael, do we have a better sense as to where they are in the investigation now?

MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is what we know at this point, is the fact that there are at least 100 firefighters we believe to be still on the scene. Still continuing in their digging and recovery efforts. Although we are also told that authorities do not believe necessarily that there is anyone left missing in that -- in those two buildings.

I just want to show you the scene just over my shoulder. Again, 200 firefighters responded to the scene earlier this morning when the fire erupted. And then afterwards, when they were trying to rescue those children and, of course, their fallen brothers.

And I think that's where we want to turn to now. I've got the acting Camden County prosecutor here. Give me your name again, sir.

JAMES LYNCH, CAMDEN COUNTY ACTING PROSECUTOR: James Lynch.

OKWU: Let me ask you this, Mr. Lynch. Are there in fact more firefighters still working, trying to get any more bodies out? Or do we know that there is nobody missing at this point?

LYNCH: It's our understanding that all of the victims have been recovered. There were three firefighters and three small children.

OKWU: And let's get a clarification, if we can, about the relations of these people. We were told by authorities earlier that they were not positively identified. That is, the children and the mother they believe of these children. Are they part of the same family? Are they siblings?

LYNCH: They're part of the same family, the three siblings, ages five, and twins that are three years of age. All of them female.

OKWU: Is there any indication at this point about what happened to start this fire?

LYNCH: That's under investigation. We're looking at it very carefully. We have the ATF here from the federal government. We have the New Jersey state police. We have a host of county and local authorities on the scene here, trying to find out exactly what the cause was.

OKWU: Now, obviously, there are three children, three siblings, we believe at this point -- although we have not positively identified that they are part of the same family. Was there a father involved here? Was he at the scene? And what can you tell us about that?

LYNCH: There was a mother and a father. The mother received injuries. She is in critical condition at a nearby hospital, being treated for burns and other injuries. The father was able to escape from the scene. He went back into the scene and was driven back by the flames, is my understanding. He was treated for smoke inhalation and subsequently released.

OKWU: Most of the information right now surrounding this fire is coming from the prosecutor's office. Is one to infer that perhaps you're looking into this as some sort of criminal investigation?

LYNCH: Every time a tragedy of this type unfolds, we approach the scene with an idea that it may be criminal. That makes it easier to do a complete and thorough investigation. You can't go back to the scene afterwards if you've approached it in a more casual fashion. So we start with the premise that it may be criminally involved, and we go from there.

There is no evidence that I'm aware of at this point that points to any criminality, points to the fact that it was set, points to the fact there was any recklessness or negligence on the part of anybody. But it's very early in the investigation.

OKWU: Thanks very much, Mr. Lynch. I appreciate your being with us.

LYNCH: Sure.

OKWU: And our condolences on this fourth of July.

LYNCH: Thank you.

OKWU: Clearly, two towns here have dropped all of their fourth of July festivity plans today. There will be no celebration in this town today. We also understand again that one of the firefighters proposed to his girlfriend just hours before he had to come here and battle this blaze -- of course, a blaze that he did not win -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Oh, how terribly sad. Thank you very much, Michael Okwu from Gloucester City. Thank you for that update out of New Jersey.

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