Fire chief: No smoke detectors in home where 5 children died

LEBANON, Mo. – A fire chief says investigators found no smoke detectors in a southern Missouri mobile home where five children died last week.

The Kansas City Star reports that Fire Chief Sam Schneider says the cause of the fire in Lebanon, Missouri, hasn’t been determined. The fire killed siblings, 5-year-old Ethan, 2-year-old Maeanna and 1-year-old Benjamin Hunt. It also killed their cousins, 1-year-old Andre and 6-month-old Patience Malleck.

Alee Malleck, the 20-year-old mother of Andre and Patience, was pulled from the burning home through a window and remains unconscious.

Lebanon Mayor Jared Carr has pledged to donate $5,000 of city funds and to match every dollar raised by the community to fund the purchase and inspection of smoke detectors throughout the municipality. Donations can be made beginning June 26 at city hall.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com