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NEED TO KNOW
- Three children are dead after a fire erupted at an apartment complex in Kenosha, Wis., on Thursday, Nov. 27
- The fatalities include two brothers aged 9 and 10 and their 7-year-old sister, while the children’s father remains hospitalized
- The Kenosha Police Department is investigating the cause of the fire
Three young siblings were killed after a fire engulfed a family’s apartment unit in Wisconsin.
At around 10:39 p.m. local time on Thursday, Nov. 27, the Kenosha Fire and Police Departments responded to reports of a “structure fire” in an apartment complex on 43rd Avenue in Kenosha, the Kenosha Police Department (KPD) said in a news release shared on Facebook.
A 10-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy died at the scene. A 7-year-old girl died in the hospital as a result of her injuries, the KPD confirmed. They were identified as siblings Connor, Rylee and Alena Kannin, per TMJ4 News.
“When both agencies arrived, they found a multi-family apartment building on fire,” said the KPD. “Sadly, a 10-year-old boy and his 9-year-old brother died as a result of the fire. Their 7-year-old sister was transported by flight-for-life from injuries sustained in the fire.”
The children’s father is being treated for smoke inhalation at a local hospital.
Kenosha Fire Department/Facebook
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Surveillance footage of the fire obtained by TMJ4 News shows people running as smoke filled the complex, before emergency services arrived.
“I instantly smelled it, and then you could see the smoke in the air. It was very thick, and it was bad,” neighbor Latoya Cook told TMJ4 News.
A GoFundMe page dedicated to the family remembers Rylee, Connor, and Alena as “the most amazing kids” who “had so much to give to this world.”
“Their dad is an amazing person who did everything he could for them,” the fundraiser’s organizer wrote, calling the incident “a parent’s worst nightmare.”
“As a community, I’m hoping we can help this father out in this time of need,” the organizer added. “The family could use all the support in the world as they have lost everything.”
The page has raised nearly $11,000 with a goal of $16,000, which will go towards the children’s funerals.
The KPD is investigating the cause of the fire and is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact Detective Marty Howard at 262-605-5284 or Crime Stoppers at 262-656-7333.
PEOPLE has reached out to the KPD for further comment.