Fire Kills 3 Year Old Left Alone

By Chad Petri Reporter

An early morning apartment fire at Orleans Apartments on Michael Boulevard killed a 3-year-old boy this morning. Authorities arrested the mother, Elizabeth Foster, after they say the boy was left home alone. Fire Kills 3 Year Old Left Alone

Published: Fri, April 18, 2008 - 9:05 am Last Updated: Fri, April 18, 2008 - 10:05 am

Chad Petri

Neighbors huddle on the sidewalk after the early morning fire that took the life of a 3-year-old boy.

“He was just playing always out playing with the regular children,” says neighbor Thomas Bridges. “They always playing, swinging, happy.” Authorities say it started just after 1 this morning. Fire officials say the boy was taken to Springhill Medical Center and was pronounced dead. They say it's likely he died in his sleep.

“According to the doctor the child had a level of 57 carbon monoxide, a lethal dose is 40 so it appears the child had been in there for while,” says Mobile Fire Rescue Spokesman Steve Huffman. Authorities say even if the child had been awake he may not have been able to leave. Someone tied a cord from a utility room to the door so it couldn't be opened from the inside.

The mother, Elizabeth Foster, was arrested. She returned to the apartment after the blaze with her other baby son in tow. Neighbors say they saw smoke and kicked the front door down

“When we kicked the door in I guess the fire started from the wind when the door opening up and that's when the fire 'cause it was in the back room I think that was where the little boy was,” says Bridges. They say it was too dangerous to go inside. No one else was hurt except a house cat and three kittens. Fire officials say it appears to be an accident.