Candles blamed for Lorton fire deaths
Fairfax County authorities say unattended candles are to blame for a blaze that killed a woman and her two children in a Lorton home.
The county fire and rescue department said Tuesday the Sept. 22 fire was accidental. Twenty-four-year-old Elieen Cecilia Langham-Anderson, and her two sons, 5-year-old Soloman Anderson and 3-year-old Alfonso Anderson, died in the townhouse from smoke inhalation and thermal burns.
Three other children and an adult also were rescued from the home. In addition, four firefighters suffered minor injuries.
County officials say there have been 10 fire fatalities this year.
--Associated Press
By
Washington Post editors
| October 5, 2010; 1:30 PM ET
Categories:
Virginia
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Posted by: pundito | October 6, 2010 1:45 AM | Report abuse
"Young children need night lights."
+++
Young children do not "need" night lights. Sadly, today's young parents do not know how to say "no" to their young children, even when their very safety is at stake.
Tragic and preventable. They should have had subsidized/low-cost electricity or at the very least battery-operated lanterns.
Posted by: FedUpInMoCo | October 6, 2010 10:59 AM | Report abuse
Why should she have subsidized electricity? Maybe she should have not had FIVE children at 24 yrs old when clearly she could not afford to properly care for them?
Why do the rest of us have to pay for her lack of family / education planning?
Posted by: ms1234 | October 6, 2010 12:44 PM | Report abuse
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The family was using candles because its electricity had been cut off. Young children need night lights.