BULLHEAD CITY, AZ – A tragic incident unfolded on a Saturday evening when five children, left unattended as their father went out for Christmas and grocery shopping, perished in a fire that engulfed their two-story duplex. The Bullhead City, Arizona police confirmed that all five victims were the grandchildren of a local fire department employee.
The victims included a 13-year-old boy, his siblings aged 5, 4, and 2, and a visiting 11-year-old relative. The children were all in the same upstairs bedroom when the fire broke out. Firefighters arrived at the scene four minutes after receiving the emergency call.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire originated from the downstairs foyer, making it impossible for the children upstairs to escape. The flames quickly spread up the only staircase in the home, blocking their way out.
The identities of the victims are being withheld until official identification is completed by the Mohave County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Given the victims’ relationship to a fire department employee, investigators from the Lake Havasu City Fire Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) were called in to assist with the investigation, including determining the cause of the fire.
Several neighbors reportedly made rescue attempts, including placing an extension ladder to the upstairs bedroom. Bullhead City, described as a small, close-knit community, saw residents rallying to help. A neighbor, Patrick O’Neal, recounted rushing to the scene and attempting to enter the house, but being thwarted by the thick smoke.
Despite the heartbreaking outcome, O’Neal expressed gratitude to those who tried to help, saying, “We did everything we could and thank you to everyone that did try to help.”