4 year-old dies in Tuesday blaze

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
A four year-old Russellville girl died in a late Tuesday afternoon house fire after family members said a sibling dropped a candle, creating the deadly blaze.
Fire officials did not release the girl's name until autopsy results conclusively identify the victim.
"She was just a sweet little girl," said Namath Jackson, a neighbor who tried entering the home to save the girl.
"I was standing on the porch talking on the phone when I saw the smoke coming out," Jackson said.
He called 911 at 4:09 p.m. and then ran to the house, which is located at the corner of Plum Street and Sockwell Avenue.
"I tried to go in the back door and through the window, but it was too hot," Jackson said.
The victim was home along with two siblings, her father and an uncle.
Juan Garcia, an interpreter for the family, said the child's sibling was playing with three candles and dropped one.
"The little boy was playing with the candle," Garcia said, interpreting what was told to him by the child's father. "He let the candle fall on the floor and everything caught on fire before the father could get the daughter out of the bed where she was sleeping."
Jackson said he and the child's father tried getting inside the home until the father was burned himself.
"His nose was on fire," Jackson said.
The child's father was taken to Russellville Hospital.
"I think he was in shock," Jackson said.
The child's mother was returning from a trip to Florence when she learned of the fire.
"She just started screaming," Garcia said. "It was terrible."
Russellville Fire Chief Joe Mansell said that state fire marshals are looking into the deadly fire. The Tharptown Volunteer Fire Department assisted at the scene.
"Our prayers go out to the family," Mansell said. "This family is facing a difficult time and all we can do is pray for them."
It is the second child fatality resulting from a fire in the past year.
"The guys did all they could," Mansell said. "This is hard on them, too."