A 7-year-old girl is dead from a house fire near southern Missouri’s Mountain Grove on New Year’s day. A father and three other children are in critical condition.
Mountain Grove Fire Chief Mark Bushong says the fire started in the basement of the home north of Mountain Grove in Wright County. A neighbor told fire crews he had five members of the family in his home, but a child was still in the burning house. The remains of Kylie Gonzalez were found later that day after the flames were put out.
The girl’s father, Justin Robertson, two of his daughters and his girlfriend’s daughter made it out, but have severe burns. The mother of two of the children, Nicole Gage, was treated and released from the hospital.
No names have been released by authorities, but the community has started a gofundme page with more details.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
By Nancy Simpson of Missourinet affiliate KSGF in Springfield