ST. LOUIS (AP) - An infant was killed and four other people, including two small children, were hurt following a house fire Wednesday in St. Louis.
The fire was reported at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said the multi-family home was already engulfed in flames by the time crews arrived. People on the street were yelling to firefighters that children were trapped inside.
The body of the infant was found on the second floor. A resident said he saw the fire in the living room and rescued a 1-year-old boy. He said firefighters rescued a 3-year-old boy.
Both children suffered smoke inhalation. The 3-year-old was in critical condition, and the 1-year-old was in serious condition. Fire officials said the three children were cousins.
Two of the six adults in the home suffered serious injuries. Names have not been released. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Terrell Moment told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he was on the second floor when he heard the beeping of the smoke detector. He looked around the corner and saw a wall of flames.
Moment said he opened a back door to let smoke out, then ran to the front door to make sure people could escape, before banging on doors to wake everyone up.
"I couldn't see," Moment said. "The smoke was so dark. And I had my phone flashlight on and I still couldn't see anything, so I had to feel my way through the house."
Moment said the children were sleeping in the living room, where he believes the fire originated.