WILLIS, Texas – UPDATE: Montgomery Fire Department confirmed Thursday that the 18-year-old girl who suffered burns over half her body passed away.
Original story: The North Montgomery Fire Department is investigating after rescuing a teen from a blaze they said left more than half of her body burned.
Firefighters said the incident happened Tuesday at a home in the 1200 block of Ridgecrest Drive in the Lake Conroe Hills subdivision.
According to firefighters, an 18-year-old has second and third-degree burns to more than 50% of her body. Neighbors said the family’s dog tried to save her but succumbed to flames. Officials said the teen was found unconscious in a closet but firefighters were able to get her pulse back. She was taken to Conroe Regional Hospital and later transferred to a burn center downtown.
“We did see one girl get pulled out. They were doing some compressions on her for a while, so we were all sitting there praying for her, hoping the best would come out of that situation,” Jordan McNeill said.
Firefighters said a 31-year-old woman who got out on her own has a laceration to her leg. Three other kids ages 9, 11 and 13 got out safe, officials said.
“One neighbor was spraying water on the house to help,” neighbor Lisa Cereghin said.
“I just walked over, you could tell they were distressed. You could see the panic in people’s bodies even from afar, so I just walked over and put my arms around them and just started praying,” said Cereghin.
The family is living in the home but their relationships with each other are not known, officials said. According to the Montgomery County fire marshal, the home had no working fire alarms. Neighbors said the family moved in the home last month but didn’t have homeowner’s insurance.
The cause of the fire is still under further investigation.
In response to these tragic fires, the Montgomery County Fire Chief’s Association has established a program dubbed “Get Alarmed Montgomery County.”
Under the program, residents who own their homes can request assistance and local firefighters will come and install free long-life smoke alarms throughout your home. These smoke alarms will last up to 10 years and are available at no cost, due to generous donations from the local business community.
If you would like to support this family, a GoFundMe account has been set up.