Neighbors who live right next door to the multi-family home that went up in flames in Lowell, Massachusetts, Thursday afternoon couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
Valdecir Andrade de Carmo and Mauricio Santos, who spoke to NBC10 Boston in Portuguese on Friday, saw a woman yelling from the top floor of the Maude Street home.
Santos was able to catch one child who was dropped by a babysitter to safety from the balcony. But the babysitter said there was another child inside and pleaded for help.
Andrade de Carmo tried to get in the house to reach the other child, but there was too much smoke and too many flames.
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A four-year-old girl did not make it out and died in the fire.
A third child was rescued by firefighters who brought the child down a ladder.
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Several tenants of the triple decker were treated on scene; one had to be taken to a local hospital.
About 10 residents have lost nearly everything, and their neighbors are devastated not everyone survived.
Andrade de Carmo is devastated he couldn't do anything to save the little girl and is feeling very emotional.
Investigators were back at the scene Friday, but the cause of the fire is still unknown. The investigation is ongoing.
