Reba Roberts, the mother in critical condition after a house fire. Four of her children died in the fire. (Courtesy of WXIA)
CONYERS, Ga. — Authorities say four children ranging in age from 8 months to 9 years old, one girl and three boys, died in a house fire late Tuesday night. The fire was in a two story duplex located on Pinedale Circle in Conyers.
Another child, a boy who turns 6 years old today, was injured when the children’s mother threw him from a second floor window and then jumped herself. She received severe burns and is being treated at Grady Hospital’s burn unit in Atlanta. The boy was transported to Egleston Children’s Hospital with reported minor injuries.
A grandmother escaped injury but was said to be extremely distraught at the scene.
Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson said four of his officers were on the scene within seconds of the fire being reported at 11:05 p.m. and tried unsuccessfully to put out the blaze with hand-held extinguishers.
Wilson said the bulk of the fire was on the second floor of the home and while it failed to burn through the roof, windows were blown out by the fierce blaze. The upstairs portion of the house was destroyed.
Wilson said there had been a fire in the first floor fireplace, but the cause will have to be determined.
A fire official told 11Alive there was no evidence that the house was equipped with smoke detectors.
Some of the children killed in the fire were students at Shoal Creek Elementary School.
View photos of the scene here — Courtesy of WXIA
