On Monday, a house fire in Alcorn claimed the lives of a woman and two children.
Around 12:30 on Monday afternoon, firefighters responded to County Road 540 in Rienzi to find a mobile home that was engulfed in flames. Reports state that four people were inside the home at the time of the fire, but three did not make it out. The victims have now been identified as 46-year-old Samantha Mason, 5-year-old Crystyln Brewer and 2-year-old Dakota Brassfield.
The Mississippi State Fire Marshal stated that the fire began after one of the children put flammable materials into a propane heater.
“The State Fire Marshal has determined the fire was caused by a child putting flammable materials into a propane heater. When the victims tried to escape the house, they were cut off from exits by the fire. A sad reminder to keep an eye on children around fires/heat sources,” the office said in a tweet.
Prior to the fire in Alcorn, the Fire Marshal’s office had already investigated 4 fire-related deaths in 2019. With colder temperatures hanging around, the department released the following tips for safely heating your home:
