Mother, 2 Children Dead Following Morning Apartment Fire

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A woman and her two children have died from their injuries after being rescued from a Baltimore County apartment fire Sunday morning.

The victims have been identified as 26-year-old Bra Angah-McCray, 4-year-old Aimee McCray, and 3-year-old Adriel McCray.

The fire was reported just after 4:30 a.m., at an apartment in the 6300 block of Holly Lane.

People living in the building tell WJZ they saw heavy flames in the top floor of the apartment.

"I got up, smelled smoke. I didn't know where the smoke came from, but I knew it was serious for them to run back the way they did," said Ed Russell, who lives in the apartment.

About 40 fire responded as they rescued two children and a woman from the flames. All three were taken to a hospital in critical condition, but later died from their injuries.

"This is one of the most serious fatal fires that we've dealt with in sometime," said Elise Armacost of the Baltimore County Fire Department.

Firefighters were able to get the blaze under control just after 5:45 a.m., but a firefighter had to be taken to a hospital as a precaution for heat exhaustion.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, but detectives say preliminary information shows this was an accidental fire that started in the kitchen. No foul play is suspected at this time.

"That is a very common place for fires to begin so that is not unusual, what the exact circumstances were we can't talk about at this point, because that is still under investigation," Armacost said.

There is a small memorial outside of the apartment where this tragedy occurred. Neighbors in the area at a loss for words.

"I cannot believe that this happened I mean," said apartment resident Nikki Morgan. "You don't think you're coming home to flames and death."

Others are eagerly awaiting to find out if the loss could have been prevented.

"I feel for the family, I feel for the community as a whole, because, it ultimately affects us all," said apartment resident Ed Russell.

A firefighter at the scene was also taken to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

Twenty residents have been displaced and the American Red Cross was notified at 7 a.m. to help those affected by the fire.

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