COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Investigators say the fire that killed two children, a mother, and sent three others to the hospital could have been an accident.
Officials say the conditions of a child and adult in the hospital have worsened.
Fire officials say the fire reignited on Monday night after a mattress that was smoldering started to burn again.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell was back at the apartment complex where 30 families have been displaced. Many of them returned on Tuesday to salvage what they could.
Shayla Duran-Diaz, 18, was just thankful that her disabled uncle made it out alive.
“My dad literally dragged him out with a blanket,” she told Newell.
She says she tried to rescue the family in the unit above hers where the fire started.
TRENDING STORIES:
- High Museum of Art chief operating officer resigns after $600,000 reportedly stolen
- Man shot, hospitalized after lunging at officers with knife in Buckhead
- Metro college student who legally bought stolen gun without knowing has charges dropped
“I went to get the extinguisher and tried to fight the fire. I even went upstairs to see if I could open the door,” she said.
Not much is left, but Raymero Mills and other neighbors returned to get what they could. He says someone rummaged through his family’s belongings and stole a gun and other items.
“[They] took some shoes, took some jewelry. Our lives is here, everything is replaceable. The kids ain’t even have a chance of life,” Mills said.
He said the family who died have only lived in the community for about six months.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]