News article about house fire, pretty sad =(

By Victoriana Summers
Staff writer

Though firefighters pushed so hard through a flaming home their protective gear burned they were unable to save a five year old child early Saturday.
Yareli Ramirez was a first-grade student at West Hoke Elementary School. She died after becoming trapped in a burning house at 816 West Prospect Avenue.
"Did you find her yet? Did you find her yet?" her mother Maria Gonzales cried out to firefighters in Spanish after she rushed to the home of her father-in-law where her daughter spent the night.
Hoke Sheriff's deputies and volunteer firefighters had to restrain the family who gathered outside, begging to personally search again inside despite the danger.
Yareli perished in the blaze that began at approximately 2:45 a.m. on November 4, and firemen estimated could have reached 2,000 degrees.
Her grandfather, Javier Ramirez, 44, and four-year-old brother Jose Ramirez suffered second and third-degree burns.
Two North Raeford Volunteer Fire Department firemen, Rob Lee and Jered Kenna, also sustained second-degree burns after plunging into the fire where glass melted and windows blew out. Twice, Lee and Kenna tried to save Yareli as their oxygen supply almost ran out and their uniforms burned through to their boots. They were treated at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital and later released. The grandfather also was burned after dashing inside to save her prior to fire crews arriving.
Miraculously, her four-year-old brother Jose escaped from the same bedroom along with an aunt and her infant. Four adults and five children escaped.
Yareli officially died of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Hoke coroner's report. At the request of her family, she was cremated over the weekend. A memorial service was held by her family at the burned out home on Sunday.
Although a smoke detector activated in the home, it was apparently not immediately heard by the family, which enabled the fire to spread rapidly. An electric space heater caused the accidental fire, according to Major Freddy Johnson, Hoke fire marshal. It was mounted on the wall next to the sofa.
"I woke up and saw the fire everywhere," Avelina
Ramirez, aunt of Yareli said. "My baby was screaming so my first thought was to save the baby.
"It was so confusing. You could not see anything but flames everywhere," she said.
"I ran out the back of the house, thinking I could return to get the two children in the bedroom. Yareli had been sleeping in the bottom of the bunk bed.
"We tried to go back inside to rescue her, but the fire was so hot. We got burned trying to get to her."
The family, until later at the hospital, did not know what happened inside to young Jose Ramirez. Avelina said the family questioned how he got safely out of the home, realizing that some people might be skeptical of his experience. However, she said the family is convinced God saved him.
"A four-year-old could not have made this up," Avelina, who is still in awe, said. "He asked his mother at the hospital why she was crying.
'Don't cry,' he told her. 'She is okay. She told me so,' she said. 'Papa Dios (God) took her, and she is going to be happy.'"
"Jose said he would not leave his sister when the fire began so he stayed by her bed. He said she told him, 'No. You get out. I will be fine.'
Avelina said Jose finally listened to his sister and tried to leave the house, but could not see because of the flames.
"Jose said 'the man' saved him, but there was no one fireman there at that time," Avelina said. "He said he saw some big arms going through a table to reach him, picking him up. He said the man told him there was a way out, and he could crawl under the table.
"Then, Jose said he turned around and saw his sister floating up in the air. He said 'the arms' of the man just lifted her up."
When the young boy ran outside to reunite with his family, three cats had also escaped. The Ramirez's dog, however, died in the fire. Another relative, West Hoke Elementary sixth-grader Jubier Capote also escaped unharmed from the fire.
Neighbor Tony Dudley called 9-1-1 for the family. He also attempted to go into the blazing home, but his wife cautioned him not to continue because of the intensity.
"There was a fireball that just raced through the house from the back to the front," Dudley recalled. "Then, there was an explosion and the windows blew out.
"It was horrible."
Rescue attempt
A North Raeford firefighting crew with a water truck arrived on the scene in two minutes and 45 seconds. Lt. James Baker, Rob Lee and Jered Kenna immediately were told a child was still inside the home. Although there was somewhat of a language barrier because the family was Hispanic, an interpreter, Sgt. Zamora, from the Hoke Sheriff's Office translated.
"Flames were coming out of all the doors and windows," Lee said. "We were the first there to fight the fire.
"We went after the life threat first without hesitating before we did fire suppression," he said. "I took the nozzle of the fire hose, looked over at Jered and said, "Are you ready? And he said, 'yes.'"
As soon as Lee stepped inside, he said one leg of his fire retardant pants burned through to his boot.
"I could see clearly because there was no smoke inside. It was so hot that it was pure fire," Lee said. "The water hose did not do any good because the water evaporated from the heat. We were almost out of oxygen, but we could not find the girl after 15 minutes," he said.
"Jered literally dragged me back out the door. We were on fire, but even so, we went in again to try and get to her, but we had to finally turn back."
Lee said they would like to have gone deeper into the dwelling, but they could not take a third "shot" at finding her.
"I would do it again if a person's life was at risk," Lee said afterward. "We are having a hard time dealing with the fact that she died.
"We knew she might have already died, but we had to try."
Baker said he was extremely worried that the two volunteered to enter the home. Baker said he knew the chances were slim she was still alive. Eventually, the fire crews were able to save the exterior walls of the structure, but the inside was gutted.
"It was unnerving to see them enter that home," Baker said. "They were very brave to do it, but that is what we are trained to do.
"Jennifer Lewis, one of our firefighters, also helped deal with the family as they waited for the news on their daughter."
Ironically, Baker said, that past Thursday evening that the North Raeford firemen had specially trained in a similar scenario under conditions like they found in the Prospect home. They used Halloween smoke foggers to simulate an engulfed dwelling.
"They did an awesome job," Baker said of Lee and Kenna. "They said, 'We are going for the girl.'
"I told them to be careful."
The grandparents and their two daughters with their babies are currently staying with the parents of Yareli. They have lost everything. Javier Ramirez is a construction worker, but he has little means after their clothes, furniture and housewares were destroyed.
"The smoke alarms went off, which is probably ultimately what saved the rest of the family," Johnson said on Monday. "We think Yareli probably went into a deep sleep and never woke up.
"She was found in bed, and the autopsy showed she never moved. We do not think she likely suffered."
Johnson said when the family exited the house, leaving the doors open, that added a draft to ignite the fire more heavily.
"The average citizens does not realize the power of fire," Johnson said. "The firemen and firewomen did a great job.
"As soon as they realized the granddaughter was in the house, they tried to save her. But, they were driven back by the intense fire."
Hoke Sheriff Peterkin was also present at the home during the tragedy, he said.
"I was up all night long after the fire," Peterkin said. "It was a devastating experience for them to lose the child and also all their belongings.
"They have nothing left."
Peterkin commended local fire departments and agencies that fought the fire.
"I think Hoke County has some of the best fireman across the state," Peterkin said. "We should be proud of them. The fact that they tried to save that child, risking their own lives, speaks highly of their character."
Donations
A fund drive is currently underway, which has been organized by Peterkin. West Hoke Elementary faculty and local firefighters are also trying to assist the fire victims.
Anyone wishing to donate money, clothes, food, house wares or other items may call the Hoke Sheriff's Office at (910) 875-5111 to speak with Sharon Andrews. Otherwise, contact Hoke Department of Social Services at (910) 878-1926 and speak to Sheila Campbell. Clothes are immediately needed.
"We believe the entire community will pull together to help this family in this time of need due to this tragedy," Peterkin said.
Other agencies fighting the fire and assisting at the scene were Raeford Fire Department, the Tylertown substation affiliated with North Raeford, Hillcrest Volunteer Fire Department, West Hoke Volunteer Fire Department, Pine Hill Volunteer Fire Department, The Hoke County Rescue Squad, The Hoke Sheriff's Office and The Raeford Police Department. The firemen stayed at the site for more than five hours to ensure the blaze would not rekindle, according to Baker.