Federal agents announced on Monday that the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, & Tobacco is now handling the investigation involving a fire that destroyed an apartment in Raytown and killed a 4-year-old boy.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but an 18-month-old and his grandmother are continuing to recover. On Monday, the 18-month-old was listed in critical condition.
The fire started around 2:20 a.m. on Sunday.
.@ATFHQ agents w/ the National Response Team will begin investigating Sunday's fatal fire. @RaytownPD guarding scene pic.twitter.com/RmpOsdVupB
— Andres Gutierrez (@AFGutierrez) February 9, 2016
Apartment resident describes what happened
"It all happened so fast. I think it all spread in less than a minute," said Esmeralda Pineda, who lived in the building. "Everything was full of smoke and all the lights were off."
Pineda said she was awake and making formula for her 1-year-old son when she smelled smoke. She checked around her apartment, grew concerned and within minutes saw flames inside.
Pineda lived on the second floor and believes the fire started in the basement or on the first floor.
"I went running to the room and got my son who had just fallen asleep," she explained. "I went running out to the hall and tried to knock on people's doors."
The fire claimed the life of 4-year-old Jeremiah Roberts. Pineda said she knows his family well, and used to babysit Jeremiah and his older brother.
"We would take care of them after school," explained Pineda. "His little brother, the one that passed away, he would always be there to open the door for us."
ATF gets involved in fire investigation
The Raytown Fire District responded to the fire on Sunday. The case has now been handed over the ATF after Raytown Fire District Deputy Chief Mike Hunley said the area did not have enough money and resources to properly investigate.
ATF agent John Ham said all possibilities of a cause are being investigated.
Twenty federal agents will get to work on Tuesday. The ATF says it may take several weeks before the official cause of the fire is known.
How to help the fire victims
Somerset Apartments staff said many people had been stopping by to drop off donations. Piles of clothes, toys, and other items had filled the office by Monday morning.
The complex has also set up a GoFundMe page for the fire victims. At last check, the page had raised more than $200.
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at tom.dempsey@kshb.com.
