LAKEWOOD, Wash. — Three people were rushed to the hospital Wednesday morning after fire crews pulled them out of a burning unit at the Wonderland Apartments in Lakewood. Two of those three people are young children and they are in serious condition.
“And the screams of those kids through that door will haunt me for the rest of my life. Because it’s like they could be yours,” neighbor Lisa Marie Anderson said.
Anderson claimed she was pulling up to her unit when she saw the smoke rise. She and several other neighbors said they heard the kids calling for help.
“They are both very intelligent children. So they know how to do things, but they couldn’t get the door open. The lock…it was just too strong for them,” Anderson said.
She said they tried everything they could to get everyone out, but nothing was working.
“It’s just terrible. We have known these kids since before they were born. And all we have ever done is tried to keep them safe and this was the one time we couldn’t keep them safe. We all feel like crap,” Anderson said.
Once West Pierce Fire and Rescue arrived at the scene, crews were able to pull three people out of the burning unit. The fire was contained to one unit according to a spokesperson, however, the neighboring units did have some smoke damage. The power of the building was also turned off and everyone who lives in the four units impacted is being helped by the Red Cross to find another place to stay.
Firefighters arrived to find 2 children in the apartment. They entered the structure and quickly rescued them both. They were transported to an area hospital in serious condition. An additional adult patient was also transported to an area hospital. Fire is under control.
— West Pierce Fire & Rescue (@WestPierce) December 13, 2023
“I’m guessing we are going to have to find some new places. I know me and my boyfriend are both behind on our rent. We have no money. And we have nowhere to go,” Anderson said.
But through it all, everyone who lives within the apartment building said they will always have each other’s backs during the hard times.
“Everyone here has been through a rough patch, but you know we are all trying to stick together. And that is what being a neighbor is supposed to be,” Sean John Anderson, who called 911, said.
And while finding a new place will be tough, Anderson said their main concern is the kids at Mary Bridge Hospital.
“I would tell them I love them and I hope that they are doing alright and that from now on, a loving person will be able to take care of them,” Anderson said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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