WEST YORK, Pa. (AP) Improper disposal of fireworks sparked a blaze in a Pennsylvania duplex that killed one child and left another child and their two parents hospitalized, authorities said.
The borough police chief says “negligent fireworks disposal” led to the blaze in one half of the West York duplex just before 11 p.m, the York Daily Record reported. Chief Matt Millsaps says officials are trying to find out who was using the fireworks before the blaze.
James Hope, assistant chief of the West York Fire Department, said officials believe the family was asleep at the time the fire broke out. Arriving fire crews found half of the duplex “mostly involved” in flames across both floors.
Three family members managed to escape on their own, and firefighters found a juvenile inside. Hope said all four were taken to York Hospital.
Millsaps said the two boys were taken a specialty burn center where one died Sunday morning. His name, age and other details weren’t immediately released and there was no immediate word on the condition of the three other victims. Authorities said the occupants of the other half of the duplex weren’t home at the time of the fire.
