CLEVELAND, Texas – Firefighters are looking into what led up to a deadly fire Tuesday night in Liberty County, where a grandmother and a baby girl were trapped inside their mobile home.
It happened a little after 8 p.m. on CR 2198 in the Tarkington area, just a few miles away from the Cleveland Airport. The Tarkington Fire Department, which was closest to the scene, is a volunteer crew and when the first truck arrived (with just a driver) he noticed heavy flames coming from the home.
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Officials said the firefighter knew there were people trapped inside so grabbed an axe and entered the home, where the blaze began advancing through the hallway toward the firefighter. He managed to find an unidentified woman believed in her 80s and get her out of the home, but she died from her injuries.
More firefighters arrived with the Cleveland Fire Department to assist and found a baby girl’s body, believed to be at least 9-months-old.
It’s unclear how the fire started, but the Texas State Fire Marshals Office has been called to arrive and investigate. KPRC 2 reporter Re’Chelle Turner and photojournalist Xavier James also are headed to the area to find out more.
This is a developing story and will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.