Mother Arrested After Kids Found Alone In Apartment Fire

A 2-year-old and 5-year-old are lucky to be alive after their apartment started on fire Tuesday night with no parents inside.

The fire broke out in the kitchen of a Hibbing home on the 2300 block of 4th Avenue East.

According to Battalion Chief Andy Anderson, the kids ran to a neighbor’s house for help after the fire started.

The two siblings were taken to a local hospital to be checked out before being taken into custody by police.

The mother was later located and arrested at her place of employment.

Formal charges were pending Tuesday night.

“We are so grateful the children were uninjured and able to escape the apt. to get help. This fire could have been much worse. The apartment had smoke alarms but none were working at the time of the fire,” said Hibbing Fire Marshal Bryan Fagerstrom.

“We would like to remind people to never leave your young children un-attended for any period of time. Statistic show that fire is the leading cause of accidental death in the home to children ages 5 and under and many are a victim of their own fire play activity,” Fagerstrom said.