CONCORD, N.C. — An early morning house fire has claimed the lives of three children, according to the Concord Fire Department.
The fire happened early Sunday morning on Lincoln Street SW. Shortly after 1 a.m. Firefighters responded to a public housing duplex with heavy fire showing, according to the fire department.
The responders found three children inside the burning home and took them outside to immediately begin CPR. Two of the children - an 11-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy - died at the scene. The third child, a 16-year-old girl, was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead on Sunday night, according to the fire department.
Officials say the parents were not home at the time of the fire and that the three children were the sole occupants at the time. The children were identified Tuesday as siblings:
- 16-year-old Daniella Kueviakoe
- 15-year-old Stephen Kueviakoe
- 11-year-old Emmanuelle Kueviakoe
Firefighters controlled the fire by 1:30 a.m.
The American Red Cross is assisting displaced occupants from the adjacent unit, which sustained heat and water damage. Concord's Housing Department will be offering grief counseling for people impacted by this fire. The city of Concord also announced Tuesday it was partnering with Grace Lutheran Church, located at 58 Chestnut Drive SW, to be the community-wide contact for donations. Anyone who wishes to offer aid to the family can contact Rev. Donald Anthony at 704-701-7167.
The city also announced a prayer vigil for the children will be held on Friday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. It will be held in the courtyard of the city's housing department at 283 Harold Goodman Circle SW.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Concord Fire Department, State Fire Marshal's Office, and Concord Police Department are handling the investigation.
WCNC CHARLOTTE PODCASTS
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte's parent company TEGNA.
Listen to Locked On here.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.