A five-month-old baby died after being trapped inside a running vehicle that caught fire, police reported. Authorities were called to an address near Tumwater, Washington, on Tuesday afternoon following reports of a car fire with a child inside.
According to the Thurston County Sheriff's Office, the father and his three children, aged 12, 2, and 5 months, were preparing to leave their home. The father briefly returned inside the residence, leaving the vehicle running with the children still in the car.
The sheriff's office stated that the vehicle began to fill with smoke while the children were inside. The 12-year-old was able to exit the car with the 2-year-old and alert their parents by running back into the house. Upon their return to the vehicle, it was fully engulfed in flames. The father and neighbors attempted to rescue the baby from the fire.
Despite these rescue efforts and the arrival of emergency personnel, the infant died in the fire. Several individuals, including the father and neighbors, sustained burn injuries during the rescue attempt and were transported to a hospital for treatment.
The cause of the fire has not yet been released, and the make and model of the vehicle remain undisclosed. The Thurston County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident in conjunction with local fire investigators and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Sheriff Sanders expressed his distress over the incident on social media, offering condolences to the family and first responders. Chaplains were also present to support those involved.