Mom Tries in Vain to Save Baby From Tenn. Fire

Feb. 05--Investigators say a Morristown, Tenn., mother tried in vain to save her infant daughter, who later died after firefighters finally were able rescue the 10-month girl from an intense house fire over the weekend.

The cause of the blaze and other details, though, still are being sought in an ongoing investigation.

The victim, identified as Briana Hidrogo, was pulled from the flames by firefighters who scaled a ladder to reach her through the window of her bedroom at the rear of the burning duplex apartment, according to Morristown Fire Marshal Eual Noah.

Morristown Fire Department crews were called at 12:14 a.m. Sunday to the residence at 2117 Brights Pike, arriving within 4 minutes to find a fully-involved fire with flames erupting some 30 feet into air, Noah said.

The girl's mother, Magaly Rodriguez, who also was inside when the fire started, was unable to reach her through the blaze as it quickly consumed the building, the fire marshal said.

"She made two attempts, but just couldn't do it," said Noah. "With the heat and the smoke, she was just overwhelmed. She tried."

Rodriguez's husband was not home at the time. The home's other duplex unit was occupied by an undetermined number of residents, who escaped unharmed, Noah said.

Briana was transported to a local hospital and then moved to a burn center at Doctors Hospital in Augusta, Ga., where she was pronounced dead Sunday.

Hamblen County Coroner Eddie Davis said the infant suffered second- and third-degree burns to more than 80 percent of her body.

The home was equipped with smoke detectors, although investigators don't know yet whether they were working. Nor have they determined where the fire started in the home, Noah said.

The fire marshal expects to return to the scene Wednesday with insurance investigators to continue searching for evidence into how the fire began.

He added that he has spoken briefly with the girl's father. Noah said he hasn't yet attempted to interview the mother, though, out of respect for the family as they continue to make funeral arrangements.

More details as they develop online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel.

Copyright 2013 - The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.