CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Monday marks the two-year anniversary of the deadly Arlington Ave. fire in Charleston that killed two adults and seven children.
Flames engulfed the home in the early morning hours of March 24, 2012. A Charleston fire house was just two blocks away. However, by the time firefighters arrive on scene minutes later flames were shooting out of the windows of the two-story house and thick black smoke curled from the roof.
Killed in the fire were Alisha Carter-Camp, 26, and her three children, Keahana, 8, “BJ”, 7, and Jeremiah, 3, were found inside their burning house, Carter-Camp’s boyfriend Alexander Seals, 24, and his two children Gabrielle, 5, and McKenzie, 3 and Carter-Camp’s nephew and niece, Elijah, 3, and Emmanuel Jones-Isabell, 20 months.
The only survivor was Latisha Jones Isabelle, the sister of Carter-Camp. She was outside smoking a cigarette around 3 a.m. when she noticed flames and ran to a neighbor’s house to call for help.
The entire family was staying at the Arlington Ave. home after a birthday celebration for Carter-Camp. The house had three smoke detectors, however, none were working.
It remains the deadliest fire in Charleston history. What was left of the house stood for 17 months before it was demolished back in August.