Blaze Kills 2 Children In Richmond, Va., Injures 11; Investigators Say No Smoke Detectors

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A fire in a crowded house sent people climbing out windows to safety early Monday, and killed two young girls and injured 11 other people, fire officials said. <br/><br/>A 4-year-old

Monday, March 26th 2007, 4:03 pm

By: News On 6

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A fire in a crowded house sent people climbing out windows to safety early Monday, and killed two young girls and injured 11 other people, fire officials said.

A 4-year-old and 2-year-old died, and a 1-year-old boy was in grave condition Monday afternoon, Fire Capt. William Martin said.

The fire appeared to be accidental, Martin said. He said the wooden bungalow had no smoke detectors.

Neighbor Margaret Cousins said a woman came to her house after the fire broke out.

``She was yelling, 'Somebody help me with my children!' She just fell on me. She was half burned,'' Cousins told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The house was quickly engulfed in flames, Fire Lt. Alfred Holmes said.

``When our first units arrived, people were climbing out a downstairs window telling them there were people still inside and trapped,'' Holmes said.

Martin said a 14-year-old boy was tossing siblings to safety out a window in the back of the small house.

Fire officials said the residents of the house included the parents of some of the children. There were conflicting accounts on the number of occupants.

One of the injured was a neighbor who tried to help residents of the house.