A fire in Capitol Heights that left a 5-year-old girl dead has now claimed a second victim.

Continue reading

Authorities say the 15-year-old boy injured in the fire has passed away.

The deceased 5-year-old was identified as Jade Buffaloe. The 15-year-old killed was identified as Rickey Cole.

The fire was ruled accidental.

Officials say the blaze, which broke out in the first living room of the home, located in the 6000 block of Carrington Court on Wednesday, was caused by an overloaded electrical circuit.

A fire official stated that a window air conditioner was being powered through a residential-style extension cord and a power strip. These units should be plugged directly into the wall.

When crews arrived on the scene, they found the girl's 24-year-old father in the front yard with serious burns to his upper body. He told firefighters exactly where his daughter and 15-year-old brother were trapped in the home.

Both juveniles were rescued using the home's rear window. When they were given to paramedics, neither was breathing or had a pulse. They were taken to the hospital with CPR in progress.

Jade died around 8 p.m. Wednesday. Rickey died at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Janette Gibson, 74, was the first neighbor who saw danger at the house on Carrington Court Wednesday.

“Fire was blazing out of that house and I just started screaming,” Gibson says.

Fire officials say the 24-year-old man suffered third degree burns to about 50 percent of his body.

The fire department says the man's mother was also on the scene and became so distraught she needed medical attention. She was taken to Prince George's Hospital.

Officials say the home was equipped with two working smoke alarms.

Thursday morning, firefighters are going door-to-door to see if residents have working smoke detectors inside their homes in hopes of preventing a similar tragedy.

Officials say the family living in the attached home has been displaced.

The total loss is estimated at $150,000.