Delaware

Baby, Toddler Die in Delaware Row Home Fire

Friends and family are mourning a baby girl and a toddler who died during a row home fire in Wilmington, Delaware.

The fire started at a home on the 400 block of North Monroe Street Tuesday afternoon. A 37-year-old woman and three of her seven children were inside at the time. Neighbors told NBC10 they heard the mother screaming as the flames spread.

"She was in shock but she was worried about her kids," said Aaron McManus. "She was just screaming like, 'My kids! My kids! My kids!'"

McManus said he rushed to save the family.

"I ran around the back and opened the back door and [went] in there," he said. "There was so much smoke coming that I couldn't breathe so I ran back out."

A responding police officer then ran inside the burning home.

"So as I'm holding the door open with a cop in there it was like an explosion," McManus said. "A piece of glass went through my hoodie and my jacket and it punctured my side."

Firefighters were eventually able to bring the flames under control. They rescued the mother and her 2-year-old daughter. The woman's 3-month-old daughter and 3-year-old daughter died from their injuries however.

"The fire was just coming out of all the windows and there was nothing we could do," said Trin Wezzie, another neighbor.

The mother and her 2-year-old daughter were both taken to the hospital. The girl was released while her mother remains in critical but stable condition. Officials say the mother's four other children were with their father at the time of the fire and were not inside the home.

Officials continue to investigate the cause of the blaze.

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