In a gut-wrenching incident, Deangelo Hill, a severely disabled 5-year-old, was left with critical, life-threatening burns after a blazing inferno engulfed his Santa Rosa apartment on Saturday evening. Thanks to the heroic efforts of Santa Rosa firefighters, the young child was successfully rescued from the second floor of the burning building at 801 Dutton Avenue.
Update: One juvenile was found & rescued from the fire & transported w/ critical life threatening injuries. Fire was brought under control in 30 min. Estimated $100K in damages. Cause under investigation by Santa Rosa Fire Investigators and @SantaRosaPolice. pic.twitter.com/mg2TSqovQX
— Santa Rosa Fire Department (@SantaRosaFire) July 16, 2023
George, a neighbor, revealed to KTVU that an 8-year-old boy alerted him to the fire when the child ran out of the building, screaming that a fire was consuming the bedroom, with Deangelo trapped inside. George's quick thinking led him to grab a fire extinguisher, but the smoke was too thick for them to enter the building.
Within four minutes of receiving the call, firefighters arrived at the scene, rushing to rescue the young boy. Deangelo, who is unable to walk or talk and requires oxygen, was transported to a trauma center where he is being treated for his life-threatening burn injuries, as CBS News San Francisco reported.
Initially, firefighters were told by residents that another adult might be trapped inside the apartment. However, after thorough searches, no other victims were discovered, according to KRON 4. The fire was brought under control within 30 minutes, limiting the damage to the bedroom where it began. Nevertheless, other parts of the building suffered heat and smoke damage, raising the total damages to an estimated $100,000, as revealed by Santa Rosa fire officials.
While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, Deangelo's family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to help cover their precious child's medical expenses.
