Two 13-year-old boys are dead after they got trapped in a burning home. Investigators said two adults and a 16-year-old escaped the fire near Kansas, Oklahoma.
Investigators tell us a mom, dad and their three teens lived in the home. They said the parents woke up to the smell of smoke and a loud pop.
The fire tore through the home around 2 in the morning on March 7, while the family was sleeping.
“I talked to the family members, but they are still, they’re still coping. They’re, they’re upset," said Joe Applegate, Investigator with the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal.
Joe Applegate said the parents opened their door and found fire, with flames shooting into their bedroom. He said they yelled for their kids before slamming the door and bolting outside.
“The 16 and the two 13-year-olds were upstairs on the second floor. The 16-year-old was able to escape out of the window and the two 13-year-olds on the other end of the house were not able to escape out," said Applegate.
Applegate said the fire started on first floor, before traveling up the stairwell. That’s where he said the two 13-year-olds got trapped.
Investigators said the second floor collapsed and a rock wall fell on top of the two boys.
Applegate said search teams sifted through the debris to find the 13-year-olds' bodies buried under remains of the home.
“I’ve been doing public safety, law enforcement, fire safety for 32 years now, and it’s not easy and I feel for the children and the families more than anybody else," said Applegate.
He said they do not know the cause of the fire at this time. They don’t suspect foul play but are treating it like a crime scene just to be sure.
Investigators said the 16-year-old who escaped was treated for smoke inhalation.