Tragedy struck a Bedford neighborhood yesterday night as a house fire claimed the life of an infant and left two others in critical condition, as reported by Cleveland19. The inferno began shortly after 10 p.m. on Forbes Road, where firefighters encountered a significant blaze with reports of individuals trapped within.
Upon dispatch to the fiery scene, Bedford Fire Lt. Brian Harding described the undertaking as an “aggressive offensive attack” through the front door, as stated in an interview obtained by FOX8. A 7-year-old, having escaped the consuming flames, bravely alerted the neighbors. The timely intervention led by the firefighters discovered two unresponsive victims: an infant, pronounced deceased, at the scene and an adult relative amid the smoldering structure.
The child in question, identified as Jovan Harris, was just 2-months-old according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner. The act of alerting the neighbors was also responsible for the 7-year-old, who Assistant Fire Chief Dan Dopslaf lauded. “The bravery, the intelligence to do that, the quick notification definitely saved the older adult’s life,” Dopslaf told FOX8. These two, found in critical condition, were swiftly transported to local hospitals.
Multiple surrounding fire departments rendered mutual aid, as reported by Cleveland19, encompassing Maple Heights, Bedford Heights, North Randall, Oakwood, Northfield Village, Macedonia, Valley View, and Solon.
The Bedford Division of Fire has yet to ascertain the cause of the blaze, which is now under the scrutiny of the State Fire Marshal’s Office. “Our sincerest condolences go out to the friends and families of those affected by this fire,” the department stated in a press release cited by WKYC.