PERRYVILLE – Two children, ages one and two, died in a house fire in the 700 block of Bruce Street Thursday morning.
The alarm came in at 7:16 a.m. and the Perryville Police Department, Perryville Fire Department, and Perry County Sheriff Department responded.
Upon arrival, officers were advised by family members who had gotten out of the residence that two small children remained in the upstairs bedrooms. Officers made attempts to enter the home but were unable to due to the amount of smoke. They then attempted to make entry from the exterior of the home and were unsuccessful in that attempt as well.
When the fire department arrived on the scene, the, two children were retrieved from the upstairs bedrooms.
Perry County Coroner Meghan Ellis said “A male child, age one, was pronounced deceased on scene. The second child, a female, age two, was transported and pronounced deceased at Mercy Perry Emergency Department.”
Due to Missouri law, an autopsy will be performed on both children to determine the cause of death.
The Perryville Fire Department was successful in putting out the fire. The Missouri Fire Marshall’s office, along with the Perryville Police Department, is investigating the cause of the fire.
Patrick Naeger, Perry County Emergency Manager, advised that he has activated the Red Cross to assist the families involved and has lined up additional resources to assist the families moving forward. According to Naeger, “We will be checking on the affected families throughout their recovery journey.”
Any additional questions regarding this case should be directed to the Missouri State Fire Marshall’s office.