A fifteen-month-old child died this morning, the result of a fire that destroyed her uncle’s mobile home.
Jacara Nicole Johnson, daughter of Wanda Faye Gaines, was killed during a fire at 40816 Highway 10 in Nanafalia. The fire was reported at 1:30 AM at which time South Marengo Rescue responded to the scene. Firefighters were unable to save the child who was sleeping at the home of Joseph Gaines.
The child’s mother received numerous burns and was transported to the UAB Burn Center where she is currently listed in critical condition.
Investigators from the Marengo County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshals Office have determined the fire originated in the bedroom where the mother and child were sleeping. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, however, at the present time the most likely cause appears to be an electric space heater too close to combustibles. There were no smoke alarms in the home at the time of the fire.