Two children dead after tree falls on home in Transylvania County
Connestee Fire Rescue says two children are dead after a tree fell down on a home in Transylvania County, North Carolina.
Fire officials say at approximately 3:38 a.m. Sunday, Connestee Fire Rescue, along with Transylvania County EMS, were dispatched to Okies Drive in Brevard. The dispatch was for a tree that had fallen into a home with children trapped inside.
When firefighters arrived, they located a single-wide trailer with an approximately 3-foot-diameter uprooted tree through the center of the trailer. The surviving members of this family indicated there were two children trapped in their bedroom.
Firefighters say they were able to locate two juveniles trapped directly under the tree and other debris. Unfortunately, the children died from the injuries caused by the fallen tree.
Officials say the tree was cut, lifted and stabilized to allow firefighters to recover the bodies of both juveniles at approximately 6:30 a.m.
Connestee Fire Rescue will not be releasing the names of the two deceased juveniles but confirmed that both juveniles were boys, and their ages were 11 and 13.
Fire officials say there were a total of five people who lived in the house, three others escaped unharmed.
One firefighter was transported to a local hospital for a minor back injury. They were treated and released, according to officials.
Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office are handling the investigation into this matter.
Transylvania County Schools released a statement that reads in part, "It is with profound sadness that TCS shares the news of the tragic loss of two of our Brevard Middle School students this weekend. This is a tremendous loss for their family, friends, and our school community. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and ask that everyone respect their right to grieve privately. Transylvania County Schools is providing additional resources to support our students and staff during this difficult time."