14-year-old autistic boy dies in Philly house fire

Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said the boy “was being ushered out by his sister, but he bolted back upstairs. He was afraid”

February 18, 2014 03:51 AM

The Philadelphia Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA — A rowhouse fire in Olney left a 14-year-old autistic boy dead and displaced two families Monday evening, authorities said.

The fire broke out at 5:03 p.m. on the first floor of a home on the 4800 block of North Ninth Street, Fire Capt. Clifford Gilliam said. Firefighters reached the scene two minutes later, he said.

Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said the boy “was being ushered out by his sister, but he bolted back upstairs. He was afraid.”

The adult sister could not follow the boy and was left to help two younger children escape the burning building.

Ayers said he has seen similar fearful reactions from children with autism. “It’s just so sad because they are so afraid,” he said.

When firefighters arrived, the flames were roaring out of the first floor, Gilliam said.

The boy was found in a second-floor bedroom, Gilliam said. He was taken to Einstein Medical Center in critical condition and was pronounced dead about two hours later.

“They got him out,” Ayers said. “They got him a shot. They got his pulse back. They got him breathing. But it wasn’t enough.”

Ayers originally reported that the boy was 9 years old but confirmed later that the boy was a teen.

By the time the blaze was brought under control at 5:36, at least three houses were involved, fire officials said.

John Gilliam, who lives across the street from the house where the fire started and who is Clifford Gilliam’s nephew, said he was looking out a second-floor window and “saw the flames coming out the front porch.”

He said he called 911 and saw two men going house to house, banging on doors to alert neighbors to the fire.

Once firefighters were able to enter the burning building, they brought out the boy, whose clothes were covered with soot, John Gilliam said.

Firefighters performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him “in the middle of the street,” John Gilliam said. They then placed him on a gurney and wheeled him to the south end of the block, where a medic unit was waiting.

The fire damaged at least two other houses, authorities said.

No other injuries were reported.

The Red Cross said it was preparing to assist five people from two families affected by the fire.

Authorities said they did not know what sparked the blaze. The investigation was continuing.