The death toll from an Evansville house fire has risen to three. WNIN’s John Gibson has the latest on the tragedy:
The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office confirms eleven-year-old Aleister Craig was pronounced “neurologically deceased” Tuesday at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.
The child was flown there from Ascension St. Vincent in Evansville after the blaze at 604 Powell Avenue early Sunday.
The coroner’s office says an autopsy will be performed after organ donations.
Aleister’s brothers, 10-year-old Paxton Craig and 14-year-old Jeramya Craig, were pronounced deceased at Ascension St. Vincent.
Evansville Fire Department Deputy Chief Kim Garrett told reporters that when crews arrived at the fire scene, they faced a dual mission:
"We had a couple, three crews doing searches and a couple crews trying to extinguish the fire."
Searchers found one child on the first floor and two upstairs.
Garrett says she was not aware of any smoke alarms in the house:
"It is always a great idea to have working smoke detectors and to test them and make sure you have them in place. They are a tremendous life-saving tool that I think a lot of people don't realize just how valuable they are."
Garrett said the parents were not at home.
Authorities have not yet released a cause for the tragic fire.
More: A fund has been established for funerals and medical expenses at Independence Bank. Donations can be made to the "Benefit of the Craigs."