BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. — The fire that killed five children in Bullhead City just days before Christmas appears to have been a tragic accident.
Fire investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms told Bullhead City police that debris collected from the scene tested negative for accelerants and "no evidence has been found to suspect arson."
The exact cause of the fire is still undetermined, Bullhead City police said. Investigators are still waiting for final reports from the bureau and the Lake Havasu City Fire Department, which is investigating the fire because the victims are the grandchildren of a fire official in Bullhead City.
The fire started in a two-story duplex in a neighborhood near Ramar and Hancock roads around 5 p.m. on Dec. 16. The children were located in an upstairs bedroom of the duplex and they were unable to escape because the fire had traveled up the home's only staircase, according to city officials.
The victims have been identified as:
- John Jones III, age 13
- Henry Lewis, age 11
- Zane Jones, age 5
- Freya Jones, age 4
- Elias Jones, age 2
A spokesperson for the Bullhead City Police Department said no adults were present at the residence when the fire occurred. Four of the deceased children were siblings who lived at the residence and the fifth child was a visiting relative, the spokesperson said.
The children's father told investigators he had left the home for about two hours to buy groceries and Christmas presents.
>>Editor's note: The above video is from a previous broadcast.
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