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No smoke detector in Metairie apartment where 3-year-old died in fire

Officials confirmed there have been multiple fires at that complex over the past year

METAIRIE, La. — Flames and smoke were heavy on the second floor of the Bellemont Apartments when fire fighters arrived Sunday evening.

The fire started just before 6 p.m. in the apartment where 3-year-old Kamryn Frank lived with her mother. Eastbank Fire Chief Dave Tibbetts said the little girl was trapped in the apartment and later died.

“She was rescued from the building and taken to University Medical Center, but unfortunately, she did not survive,” he said.

According to the Jefferson parish Coroner, the exact cause of Kamryn’s death is still pending.

An investigation with the Louisiana Fire Marshall’s Office was underway at the Bellemont Apartments Monday.

Investigators aren’t sure how the fire started, but they believe it was accidental.  Specifically, they’re looking into the possibility that candles were burning at the time.

Chief Tibbets said there were other problems in the apartment as well.

“At this time, we don’t have any evidence of a working smoke detector in that house, in that apartment,” he said. “That’s something we want to address.”

Rento Santos spent the day moving out of his home in the Bellemont Apartments. Santos speaks Spanish, so his friend Daniel Barahona translated for us.

“He's saying these apartments, the next building caught fire yesterday. A month before the building across from his door, burned a month ago. He's afraid his building is going to catch fire and one of his kids is going to pass away or something like that,” Barahona said for Santos.

Kamryn’s death hits home for Santos, who has a 2-year-old child of his own.

Chief Tibbetts confirmed there have been other fires at the complex. He said Sunday’s fire was the third multi-alarm fire there since last year.
     

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