By Eric Boynton, Adam Shear and Christine McCarthy
WACO - Two children are dead after an early Saturday morning fire that fire marshals have since ruled "accidental due to an electrical shortage."
Firefighters were called out to the home in the 1900 block of Cleveland St. at 2:10 a.m. When they arrived the home was completely engulfed in flames.
After putting out the fire, firefighters found the bodies of two children on the floor in the front bedroom. The victims have tentatively been identified as 11-month-old Rayah Hernandez and four-year-old Eliana Gonzales. Detectives are waiting on confirmation from the Medical Examiner to verify the identity of the two children.
"Anytime we work something where children are related in this kind of incident it just certainly tugs on the heart strings of everybody involved," said Sgt. Patrick Swanton, Waco Police Department. "[Children] are so innocent. You feel terrible for the family and nobody likes to lose a child."
21-year-old Victoria Valenzuela had been in the home with four children when the fire started in the home's front bedroom. Her four-month-old son, six-year-old nephew and her nieces, 11-month-old Rayah and 4-year-old Eliana were all inside.
Victoria was able to escape from the home with her son and six-year-old nephew, but the severity of the flames prevented her from being able to rescue the other children.
All the children had been living in the home with Victoria.
Victoria, her son and nephew were taken to Hillcrest by ETMC to be treated for injuries received in the fire. Victoria and her son Javier were later transferred by Care-Flight to Parkland Hospital for fire-related injuries. Their conditions are unknown at this point.
Six-year-old Joe Gonzales IV was treated and released from Hillcrest.
The bodies of the two children have been sent to Dallas for autopsies.
