GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — An overnight house fire in Grand Rapids killed a mother and her three sons who were students at Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS).
Wanedia Scales, 34, Xavier Woldeab, 15, Robert Scales, 13, Elijah Scales, 9, died from Wednesday's fire that started around 12:20 a.m. on Dawson Avenue, near the intersection of 28th Street SE and Kalamazoo Avenue SE, according to Grand Rapids Fire Chief John Lehman.
The mother died at the scene. Her three sons were transported to local hospitals. Xavier Woleab was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Robert Scales and Elijah Scales died later Wednesday morning.
One of the kids was a student at Sherwood Park, one was a former student and the other was a former C.A. Frost student, according to a release from GRPS. However, it is not known which boys attended which schools.
"Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this tragedy," said John Helmholdt the Executive Director of Communications & External Affairs at GRPS in a press release.
Fire officials said it appeared the home did not have working smoke detectors, if it did, officials believe the family's lives would not have been lost. Two dogs also died in the fire.
"This is a tragic incident, but these deaths may have been prevented through early detection," Lehman said.
The fire started on the lower level of the two-story home with the family inside. Lehman said when crews arrived on the scene, they did not hear any smoke detectors and it doesn't appear the home had any.
Neighbors called in the fire, but Lehman said it had a head start over crews. "The clock was working against us," he said.
Demarkus Putman tried to beat that clock. He lives a few homes down from the fire, and saw the heavy flames around midnight.
"I ran outside and started calling 911. [I] banged on windows trying to get their attention—banging on the door," Putman said. "Eventually, [I ended] up kicking the door in. I got about halfway up the stairs before the smoke became too much."
Putman said all he saw was smoke, but he heard nothing.
"[It's] just tragic," he said. "I haven’t really slept last night. I just felt like I didn't do enough. I felt like if I had got in there sooner, I could have helped save them or at least get their attention."
It's not clear what caused the fire, but Lehman said investigators are ruling out any suspicious activity. Investigators plan to return to the scene Wednesday to sift through the damage and determine what led to the deadly fire.
"When a fire happens at night in a home with an open stairwell and people sleeping upstairs—without early detection, this is a recipe for disaster," Lehman said.
The Grand Rapids Fire Department's Residence Safety Program offers free smoke alarm upgrades and installations, along with fire safety checks to anyone who owns a home in Grand Rapids. Smoke detector's batteries don't need to be changed for 10 years.
"There really isn't a good reason why people should go without smoke detectors in their homes," Lehman said.
Anyone in need of smoke detectors or a fire safety check should contact 311 or 616-456-3000.
Wednesday night dozens of family and friends gathered for a vigil in front of the home.
"I'm going to miss my friend very much, I just want everybody to know it's never goodbye it's see you later, every time I leave the house I never say goodbye because you never know the last time you will see them," said a close friend of the family at the vigil.
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