Feb. 01--MYERSVILLE -- Neighbors on the cul-de-sac at the end of Highland Avenue say they are deeply saddened by the death of two little girls, Sophie P. Lillard, age 6, and Madigan G. Lillard, age 3, who died in a house fire here overnight.
Alison Huston, who has four children that played with the girls, recalled sledding with Sophie last month.
"They were just fun and full of energy. Always smiling and beautiful," Huston said.
Fire and rescue personnel were called to the house in the 3900 block of Highland Avenue at 11:20 p.m. Thursday night for the report of a fire with entrapment.
Firefighters worked aggressively to find the girls, but could not rescue them because of the volume of the fire and the home's structural instability, Mike Dmuchowski, spokesman for the Frederick County Office of the Fire Marshal.
The girls' bodies were taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsies.
The family had four children, all girls, neighbor Mike Willard said. He first saw the flames from his bedroom. He and his family ran outside to find the mother, Angela Lillard, and father, Jack Lillard, trying to rescue the girls. Willard's wife took their youngest child, 7-month-old Sadie, back to their home until fire and medical personnel arrived.
"It just went up so quickly," Willard said. It's just a shame how quickly something like this can happen. They had their whole lives ahead of them. It's very sad."
According to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office and neighbors, Jack, 39, was flown to Med Star Washington Hospital Center; their 8 year-old daughter, Morgan, was transported to Children's National Medical Center; and Angela and Sadie were transported to Frederick Memorial Hospital. Angela and Sadie Lillard have since been released.
A volunteer firefighter from Middletown Volunteer Fire Co. was also transported to Frederick Memorial Hospital.
Fire investigators are investigating the cause of the fire. No damage estimate was available, but the home was a total loss, Dmuchowski said.
On Friday morning, a stuffed bear with angel wings was set out under a tree in front of the home. Willard said he wasn't sure if someone put it out as a memorial or if it was one of the girls' toys. As soon as it was warm enough each year, the cul-de-sac would be swarming with children and their toys. His grandchildren loved playing with all the neighbors and no one minds if play things are left out overnight, he said.
He was shoveling his steep driveway as news crews and town residents streamed through the neighborhood early Friday morning.
"They were a very nice family. I know they were so brave in trying to get their children out of there," he said.
Copyright 2013 - The Frederick News-Post, Md.
