Child killed in Christmas house fire in Elkton is identified
A 10-year-old girl who died in an Elkton house fire on Christmas morning has been identified.
Kyleigh Nicole Treadway died from thermal injuries and smoke inhalation, the Office of the State Fire Marshal announced Wednesday. A spokesperson for the fire marshal’s office said Tuesday that Treadway’s body was found just inside the front door of the home. She was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where the cause of death was determined.
Firefighters from the Singerly Fire Company and surrounding departments responded around 7:30 a.m. to the 300 block of Willow Drive, where they found the town house where Treadway’s family lived fully engulfed in flames. The girl lived in the home with four adults, the fire marshal’s office said.
Family members initially thought that everyone had made it out of the home safely then realized that Kyleigh was still inside and made several attempts to save her during the fast-moving fire. However, they were unable to reach her because of the thick smoke and intense heat, a spokesperson for the fire marshal’s office said.
The two-alarm fire took about 75 firefighters almost an hour to control.
A spokesperson for the fire marshal’s office confirmed Tuesday that the fire started at the rear of the home, but the origin and cause of the fire are under investigation. No evidence has been recovered to suggest that the fire was intentionally set and investigators continue to explore all possible accidental causes, the fire marshal’s office said.
Investigators have not located working smoke alarms in the home, the fire marshal’s office said.
On Christmas Eve, a house fire claimed the life of a 58-year-old woman in Carroll County. Because of these tragedies, fire officials are reemphasizing the importance of having working smoke detectors in the home.
“Our hearts break for Kyleigh and the families suffering these losses of life because they are so preventable,” acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray said in a statement on Wednesday. “We are asking everyone to test your smoke alarms. This single device is the most effective tool in preventing injury or death. Come together as a family and make a home escape plan so you know what to do in an emergency. Finally, remember to get out and stay out and dial 911 from a safe location.”
The Elkton fire destroyed the town house that Treadway and her family lived in, and extensively damaged two adjoining town houses, the fire marshal’s spokesperson said. A total of 17 people have been left homeless by the blaze.
A GoFundMe has been set up on behalf of Kyleigh’s family, to cover the cost of her funeral and her family’s living expenses. The GoFundMe page states that the family did not have insurance.