Boy, 3, killed in Rome apartment fire; mother and sister recovering

ROME, Ga - A 3-year-old boy died, and his mother and sister were injured in a devastating apartment fire Wednesday afternoon in Rome, according to Floyd County officials.

The blaze broke out shortly after 1 p.m. at the Redmond Chase Apartments on Redmond Road. 

SEE ALSO: 3-year-old dead after intense fire at Floyd County apartments

Koda Sandoval, 3, killed in apartment fire

What we know:

Fire crews arrived to find thick smoke and flames pouring from a second-floor unit, with reports of people trapped inside.

The Floyd County Coroner’s Office identified the child as Koda Sandoval. He was pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the fire. Officials say his mother remains in intensive care, while his sister was transported to a burn unit.

Cause of Redmond Chase Apartments fire

What they're saying:

"It hits different," said neighbor Jaronda Chambers, who watched the scene unfold. "You see [this] on TV but when you see up close and personal it hits different."

Chambers and her sons captured cellphone video of the fire and described the heartbreak of witnessing first responders carry the child from the building.

"They saw the fire department go up and retrieve the child and the body was just lifeless," Chambers said.

Another resident recalled seeing one of the victims suffering from burn injuries. "They were sitting here and their hands were burned out and she was crying," she said.

Investigators from the Rome-Floyd County Fire Department say the fire appears to have been caused by electrical issues. Crews spent much of Thursday boarding up the damaged apartment unit.

"It’s close to home because anything could have happened," Chambers added. "After the fire was out the wind picked up … what if the wind was like that when the fire was going? It could have blowed [into] the apartments where I stayed."

Chambers urged others in the community to be prepared. "Just be vigilant and always have an escape plan … if something happens and in case of emergency, always have an escape plan."

The backstory:

The tragedy comes during an already busy week for local fire crews. On Sunday, they battled a wildfire that scorched nearly 200 acres—investigators say a 22-year-old woman started it after telling authorities she was angry with her father. On Tuesday, another wildfire, believed to be intentionally set, broke out in several locations off Highway 411.

What you can do:

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help recover.

What we don't know:

No further details about the apartment fire victims’ conditions have been released. The investigation remains ongoing.