Fire claims life of 11-month-old boy in Wilmington, Delaware

WILMINGTON, Del. (WPVI) -- A fire in Wilmington, Delaware claimed the life of an 11-month-old boy, while also leaving his grandmother, another baby and a teenager in the hospital.

Firefighters responded to the blaze around 7:14 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of West 23rd Street.

Rescuers learned of three residents who were trapped inside: 59-year-old Fay Hyland; 11-month-old Maurice Williams; and three-week-old Isaac Williams.

Firefighters managed to rescue all three from the second floor of the home.

Hyland suffered burns to 70% of her body, officials said, and is now in critical condition.

Maurice and Isaac Williams were also taken to the hospital, but Maurice later succumbed to his injuries. Isaac Williams is in critical but stable condition, officials said.

Meanwhile, authorities say 17-year-old Nashon Hyland jumped from a second-floor bedroom to escape the flames. He is now hospitalized in stable condition.

The fire was placed under control by 8:25 p.m.

A neighbor who did not want to give her name said she is still distressed by what she witnessed when rescuers carried out one of the little fire victims.

"The baby was burned, like the Pampers stuck to the baby. The lady was burnt, shaking. It was a lot," she said. "I've never seen nothing like that in my life."

Fire officials say the blaze is under investigation. They also said there is no evidence of any working smoke detectors in the home.

A man who represents the unit's owner decline to talk about the smoke detectors.

"I don't have anything to say," he said. "These people were like my family and I don't have anything to say."

The city said the owners have a valid license to rent the property and there are no outstanding violations. There apparently is no requirement for testing smoke detectors in a single-family rental unit.

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