Two children are dead after a house fire Tuesday night in Sheboygan Falls, including an 11-year-old girl who braved the fire to try to rescue younger family members and helped save a 9-year-old girl from the blaze, authorities said.
Natalie Martin, 11, died Wednesday at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa, Sheboygan Falls Director of Public Safety Steven Riffel said.
Carter Maki, 7, died at a hospital in Sheboygan and Benjamin Martin, 10, was in critical condition Wednesday at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa, Riffel said.
Riffel initially had told reporters Wednesday morning that he had gotten word that Benjamin had also died, but he said he later learned that information was inaccurate — that the boy still was clinging to life.
Jenna Martin, 9, escaped from the fire and was with family Wednesday, Riffel said.
The fire was reported about 9 p.m., Tuesday in the 500 block of Western Ave., after Natalie yelled "Fire! Fire!" to the 9-year-old and urged her to run and get help, Riffel said.
The younger girl reported the fire to a neighbor, who called 911 around 9 p.m., and firefighters responded within minutes, Riffel said at an emotional news conference Wednesday, where he expressed his sympathy for the victims' family members.
"Our sincere thoughts and prayers are with them in this most difficult time," Riffel said.
No adults were in the house at the time of the fire, Riffel said, adding that investigators were following up on reports that the parents, Christopher Maki, 29, and Kristine Maki, 30, were at a church Bible study.
The fire is being investigated with the help of the State Fire Marshal's Office.
Riffel told the Journal Sentinel by phone after the news conference that the 9-year-old would not have made it out of the house safely if not for Natalie.
Emergency responders tried to gain entry to the house by breaking the door but were pushed back by the amount of smoke, Riffel said. Firefighters eventually were able to enter the house while fighting the fire and found the other three children.
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