‘Tragedy’ of 5 Children Who Died in House Fire ‘Has Shaken Community,' Says Bullhead City Mayor

Mayor Steve D'Amico offered his condolences to the families of the kids, who ranged from 2 to 13 years old

Bullhead City mayor Steve D'Amico has offered the Arizona community some words of solace.

In a video statement Tuesday, D’Amico addressed the house fire that killed five children on Saturday night. The victims were aged 2, 4, 5, 11, and 13, and did not make it out of the two-story duplex when the blaze broke out around 5 p.m. local time.

“I want to express my deepest condolences on behalf of myself and the Bullhead City community to the grieving families of the five children who lost their lives on Saturday in a devastating house fire,” the mayor began the statement. “Your loss is the community’s loss and we’re grieving with you.”

“This tragedy has shaken the community," he added.

Four of the children killed in Saturday’s blaze were siblings, according to the Bullhead City Police Department (BCPD). The 11-year-old boy who died was a relative of the siblings, who was “visiting at the time.”

The father of the four kids also told investigators the fire happened after he left the home for two-and-a-half hours “to buy groceries and Christmas gifts.”

An investigation revealed the fire started “in the downstairs foyer area” and “traveled up the only staircase inside the home, preventing the victims from exiting,” the BCPD said in a news release on Monday.

Fire units were able to extinguish the main body of the fire within minutes of arriving at the scene, according to the BCPD, but none of the children survived.

Related: Father Was Out Christmas Shopping When House Fire Killed 5 Kids, Police Say

In his statement, D’Amico thanked the BCPD, the firefighters who responded to the blaze and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), all of whom are investigating what caused the fire. He also shared that local funeral home Dimond & Sons has offered to pay for the “funeral home expenses” of the five victims and that a campaign has been created for formal donations to be made to the families affected via River Fund Inc.

A friend of the four sibling’s mother, Nikki Sellers, also created a GoFundMe page over the weekend, which has raised more than $16,000 to support the parents who lost their children in the fire. Kilee Stockton, who organized the campaign, said the money will help the parents of the kids “with any expenses they need.”

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A candlelight vigil will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 6 p.m. local time to honor the five children who died, the mayor said. “All are welcome to attend the vigil to grieve in peace.”

“While the community continues to grieve, I ask that everybody be respectful of the victims, their families and the investigation as it continues," he added.

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