Florida Firefighters Unable To Save Girl, 5, Killed In Fire

A 5-year-old girl trapped inside a burning Belle Glade apartment was killed Sunday in the fire, police said.

Katherine Alexandre and her 9-year-old sister were inside their apartment in the 700 block of Southwest Avenue E when the fire broke out about 4:20 p.m., said Belle Glade Police Lt. Robert Wheelihan. Katherine's sister escaped the fire by climbing through a rear window.

"When our officers got there, bystanders told them there was a child inside," Wheelihan said. "They tried to go in, but they had to come back out because of deep smoke."

Firefighters arrived shortly after, scooped up Katherine and tried to resuscitate her. Katherine was taken to Glades General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The girls' mother was across the hall at another apartment when the fire started, Wheelihan said.

Fire investigators have determined that a faulty electrical board is to blame, Wheelihan said.

The state Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the fire.

Police do not plan to investigate further, Wheelihan said.