VIDEO: Fire Claims Three Children

ATTALA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – They are calling it a holiday tragedy.

Early Saturday morning, firefighters arrived to a home engulfed in flames.

Three children were trapped inside; the parents were out shopping for Christmas presents.

The fire was extinguished, but it was too late to save the children.

“It’s very rare for something like this to occur,” said Attala County Sheriff Tim Nail.

Barely a day has passed, and the community is grieving.

“This is a tragic deal. I mean, we got three young children who lost their lives. It’s a lot of sadness for the family and also it’s just a trying time for everybody in the community to see some of our kids leave the earth this way,” continued Nail.

The children ranged from ages four to eleven.

Their bodies have been taken to Jackson for complete autopsies.

This along with the investigation as to what caused the fire are still underway.

The deaths of these children are being felt by all members of the community.

“When I heard it, it really was saddening to hear, especially three small children, or three children,” said resident Arma Cooper.

“Some of my friends had babysat some of those children and it’s just a terrible tragedy,” said resident Rayburn White.

“I was shocked, sad, and It’s just hard to describe how I feel,” said resident Lavenia Miller, who was also a teacher of one of the children.

It is rumored that a space heater was the cause of the fire.

With the changing of the season, authorities are encouraging residents to be cautious with how they heat their homes, as certain heaters can cause fires if unattended.

“Right now, you got the cold weather moving in, so everybody needs to take precautions and check their heating sources and make sure everything is safe,” said Nail.

Shortly before the firefighters arrived, a family member noticed something within the flames of the house and took a picture.

Amongst the flames two wooden planks remained in place in the form of a cross.

In this time of mourning, perhaps this could offer some comfort to those experiencing the loss.