Neighbors react to death of 3-year-old boy

BLUE SPRINGS, MO (KCTV) — A young child was killed in a Blue Springs apartment fire late Friday morning.

Firefighters responded at 10:54 a.m. to the eight-unit complex near Northwest Third Street and Vesper Street. A man and woman got out safely, but suffered minor injuries and were hospitalized. During the firefighters’ search, they found a young child dead at the scene, according to Central Jackson County Fire Protection District.

The Central Jackson County Fire Protection District says a young child was found dead after an apartment building burned this morning. They are still investigating the cause. pic.twitter.com/xsZ9ZMPkm3

— Nathan Vickers (@nathanvickers) February 26, 2021

The complex sustained significant damage.

Neighbors told KCTV5 the child who died as a 3-year-old boy.

There was only one thing going through Tammy Henson’s mind as she watched the fire department battling flames at the building next door.

“I was just like, ‘please let those babies be OK.’ Things you can replace, people you cannot,” she said.

Another neighbor, who wouldn’t give her name, said she actually tried to get inside the burning building.

“I went around the side and busted out the window as best as I could,” she said. “The back of the apartment just exploded.”

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Fire Chief Jeff Grote said they are still investigating whether smoke detectors were in the units.

Stay with KCTV5 News for more on this developing story.

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