CARROLLTON, Ky. — The coroner's office has identified the family who died in a house fire in Carrollton, Kentucky last week.
Jessica Sellers, 42, died in the Oct. 17 fire alongside 25-year-old Emilee Boswell, 18-year-old Coleton Sellers and 10-year-old Deacon Sellers.
Detective Dave Roberts with the Carrollton Police Department said emergency crews responded to a house on 5th Street around 6 a.m. Oct. 17 for a reported fire, arriving within 2-3 minutes of the call. Roberts said when officers arrived, they noticed a 3-year-old child standing near the home's back door.
"The house was fully engulfed," Roberts said. "It became too hot for the officer to try to attempt to get inside the residence."
Police grabbed the young girl, who was then taken to Carroll County Memorial Hospital and later transferred to a hospital in Louisville. Roberts said Saturday afternoon that her condition continues to improve.
After multiple days, Roberts said officials were able to recover the bodies of the four family members killed in the fire. A family member told WCPO there is a GoFundMe approved to support their surviving family members.
For a community with a population of less than 4,000, officials say this tragedy hits home for many.
“It is gonna be a long road ahead,” Roberts said. “It’s a terrible tragedy in this community — small community, it’s a tight-knit community ... it’s gonna take a long time to heal from this.”
Carroll County Community Hospital hosted a vigil for two of the victims. The hospital posted on Facebook, “It is with deep sorrow that we share the heartbreaking news of the loss of two beloved members of our team, who passed away this morning. Their dedication, kindness, and the positive impact they had on our organization and community will never be forgotten.”
We spoke with the coordinators of the vigil and they did not wish to say anything more but did tell us that donations for the family were collected.
“A lot of people involved in this — families, extended families, and families possibly even of first responders involved,” Roberts said.
The City of Carrollton has also brought in counseling assistance to help any first responders who need it, Roberts said.
"I've seen structure fires, but never one with this amount of casualties," Roberts said.
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