COLUMBIA, S.C. — The superintendent of Richland County School District One released a statement on Thursday asking for the community to keep the family and friends of a 6-year-old boy and 9-year-old girl in their thoughts and prayers.
The boy, Nathan Archie, died following a Wednesday afternoon apartment fire, and his sister, who hasn't been identified publicly, is still in critical condition, Richland County coroner Naida Rutherford said.
The fire happened at Whispering Pines apartments at 400 Greenlawn Drive off of Garners Ferry Road around 6:40 p.m.
Superintendent Craig Witherspoon announced on Thursday that the young boy who died was a kindergartner at Caughman Road Elementary School.
"We extend our condolences to Nathan’s family, and we ask everyone to join us in keeping them and the students and staff at Caughman Road in your thoughts and prayers," Witherspoon said. "We are also praying for Nathan’s sister, a fourth-grade student at Caughman Road, who remains hospitalized."
Witherspoon added that the district crisis team was at the school on Thursday to provide support and counseling to both students and staff. The team will be back on Friday as well.
At this time, authorities say the fire appears to have been caused by an electrical issue in the apartment where the children were found. Fire officials said several people in the building had to be rescued and, now, 12 people have been displaced. Chief Aubrey Jenkins said that eight units were damaged in all.
Rutherford added that, at the time of the fire, no parent or adult was in the apartment where the children were found.