Three Year Old Child Dies In House Fire In Wise County

Fire investigators in Appalachia, Virginia continue to look into what caused a house fire Wednesday afternoon, that killed a three year old girl.  It happened at 4201 Nicholas Road, shortly before 4pm.  Appalachia Fire Chief Robert Anderson jr. says they believe the fire started in the livingroom of the home.  In a side bedroom a man and his three year old daughter were sleeping when the fire started.
Neighbors Myrtle and Butch Mullins say when they saw the smoke, coming from the home, they called 9-1-1. “The fire was so bad the windows was breakin out”, said Myrtle Mullins.  At the time they say they did not know the man and his daughter were inside the home.  Neither victims name has been released yet, but according to the Mullins, the man was the brother of the woman that owns the home.  He and his three year old daughter were staying there temporarily.  The man was found on the floor of the bedroom, and his daughter was close by, hiding inside a closet.  Both had passed out from smoke inhalation.  They were taken to the Lonesome Pine Medical Center in Big Stone Gap, Va. But the toddler was pronounced dead when she arrived at the hospital.
Appalachia Fire Chief Anderson, says this is a painful reminder of how important it is for families to have a fire evacuation plan set up in their homes. “We want to make sure children do know how to get out of their homes in case of a fire and have a place to meet, those kinds of things are important.“ said Anderson.
As of Thursday the father was still in critical condition.