Juvenile dies in early morning fire in Ooltewah

UPDATE (6:30 p.m.) About 30 firefighters were needed to contain the fire. But due to the extreme cold, the water was freezing as soon as it hit the ground, which became a hazard for fire crews and their trucks.

“We have had issues with people slipping,” said Amy Maxwell, public information officer for the Hamilton County Emergency Management. “We wanted to make sure too that they were taking care of themselves.”

Neighbors and family members tell News 12 that the child was a nine-year-old boy named Jamie.

His parents and older sister were taken to Erlanger for observation. But because the parents are deaf, officials had to wait for an interpreter to inform them of their child’s death.

“Everybody’s just in shock,” neighbor Annette Henshall said. “We can’t believe it. We’re so used to seeing the kids walking up and down the street, going to neighbors’ houses and playing. It’s a horrible day.”

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the fire, but because of the extensive amount of damage, it might be a while before examiners determine its cause.

Henshall and other friends were visibly distraught at the scene.

“This is a horrible thing, horrible. Everybody hug their kids tonight, hug them extra close.”

If you wish to help, the family has set up a GoFundMe page here.

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UPDATE: A neighbor tells us that both of the parents in the home that burned are deaf.

They also tell us that the man who called in the fire heard screams from the house.

He tried to get in to help, but the heat was too intense.

If you would like to help the family, the nephew of the parents has posted information on Facebook:

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OOLTEWAH, Tennessee (WDEF) – The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department confirms that a juvenile was killed in a house fire early Wednesday morning in Ooltewah.

Firefighters were called to the 4200 block of Shady Oak Drive, when a neighbor reported it at 5:45 AM.

When Tri-Community firefighters arrived on the scene, they were told that a family member was unaccounted for.

They tried to enter the home, but determined it was too unstable from the fire.

They found the body after the fire was put out.

It has been taken to the Medical Examiner;s Office to determine a cause of death.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

from Tri-Community Fire Dept.