AURORA, Colo. -- Fire officials said a 1-year-old Aurora girl died in a fire started by her siblings early Monday morning.
Aurora Fire officials told 7NEWS two children, between the ages of 6 and 10 years old, playing with fire ignited a blaze in a bedroom of their townhome. The home is located in the Apple Valley neighborhood near Newark Street and First Avenue.
Officials would not say how the children started the fire, but neighbors told 7NEWS they have seen the children playing with a cigarette lighter.
Neighbors identified the mother as Madonna Jenkins and the 1-year-old fire victim as Christina, but fire officials would not confirm the names.
Neighbor Carmen Goodloe said she woke up at 12:25 a.m. and saw smoke and flames pouring out of a window in the townhome across from hers.
"I heard children screaming when I first got up," Goodloe said. "I was just very saddened, very saddened. It was a mother with three small children.”
There were three other units attached to the same building, but the crews were able to contain the fire to one bedroom in the upstairs unit.
"It was a tribute to the quick action of that fire crew that was able to get in and aggressively put the fire out," said Aurora Fire Department spokesman Capt. Allen Robnett.
Officials said other family members were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Investigators are reviewing the case to see if the adults were negligent, but Robnett said that does not appear to be the case at this point.
