MEMPHIS, Tenn — A girl is dead and another is in critical condition after a house fire occurred Thursday night in South Memphis.
The Memphis Fire Department (MFD) responded to the fire Sept. 7 just before 10 p.m. in the 600 block of Mallory Avenue.
During rescue efforts, firefighters reported that a 5-year-old girl died. Family identified the child who died as 5-year-old Destiny Adair. They said 7-year-old Terranah Adair was injured. MFD said she was taken to Regional One Hospital's Burn Unit in critical condition.
Shakedra Butterfield, the aunt, recounted to ABC24 the conversation she had with the children’s mother that tragic night while out on the scene Friday.
“Dominque, well, they’re saying somebody dead," Butterfield said. "How many kids [are] at this hospital right now? She said it’s supposed to be three but they not telling me where Destiny is. Destiny is the one who passed… we couldn’t find her… that’s when we found out six hours later that she died.”
The family said the two attended Ford Road Elementary, and Destiny had just started kindergarten.
“She [Destiny] begged me to check her out of school and I wish I had checked her out of school," Butterfield said. "So, she could be at my house with me so maybe none of this would go on. It’s hard but I think we’ll get through it."
Firefighters had the fire controlled in under 30 minutes. MFD said the total estimated damage to the house was $25,000.
According to MFD, an electrical issue near a bedroom doorway caused the fire.
Virginia Taylor, says she’s a former tenant of this property and while out surveying the damage Friday morning told our ABC24 crew that she’s complained about issues on the property to both the landlord and code enforcement.
"Me and my son used to stay here, and I had told her numerous times about the incident; the wiring, the water shoot up out the floor," Taylor said. "I'm just heartbroken, my condolences go out to the family."
These are claims the landlord ABC24 spoke with denied.
We reached out to the city of Memphis and they confirmed to us that there were multiple complaints from different tenants in 2022. That included a copy of a complaint in August 2022 from Virginia Taylor - the same woman who told us she complained about a faulty air conditioning unit.
