COLUMBIA, S.C. — Richland County Coroner Naida Rutherford has released the name of a 6-year-old child who died in a Wednesday afternoon fire in Columbia that also displaced several people.
During a press conference alongside Columbia-Richland Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins, Rutherford said that 6-year-old Nathan Archie, a kindergarten student, died after a fire that swept through an apartment building at Whispering Pines apartments.
"The fire department worked diligently to resuscitate the 6-year-old, they worked him for a very long time," Rutherford said. "Even on the way to the hospital, EMS worked diligently to bring him back but, unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries."
Archie's sister is also in critical condition, Rutherford said, asking the community to keep her in their thoughts.
"As you guys are broadcasting this, I hope that the people watching will pray for his sister," Rutherford said.
She said that an official cause of death is still being determined through several tests.
The fire happened around 6:40 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon at 400 Greenlawn Drive. In all, roughly 12 people were displaced from eight units.
Authorities said at the time that there was already heavy fire and smoke coming from one of the buildings when the first fighter fighters arrived. In their previous announcement, the fire department said that several people had to be rescued during the fire and two children were taken to the hospital. At that time, however, the children's conditions weren't released.
Rutherford said there was no parent or adult in the apartment where the children were found at the time they were rescued.
Chief Jenkins also provided an update on the incident regarding the cause describing an unspecified device that was plugged into a wall outlet.
"There was also some arcing went on, also a breaker that was tripped, so we're attributing this fire to the device that was sitting on top," the chief said. "What we're saying is this happened in or around this device that was plugged into - in this outlet that was plugged in behind the couch."
Jenkins said the fire started in the living room of the same apartment where the children were found.
The chief added that the fire did an estimated $300,000 in damages but suggested it could be more and that it would be up to insurance companies to determine the final value.
Richland School District One Superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon released the following statement on Archie's death, confirming that he 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," he said. "We are also praying for Nathan’s sister, a fourth-grade student at Caughman Road, who remains hospitalized. Our District Crisis Team was at the school [Thursday] to provide support and counseling to students and staff as needed, and the team will return tomorrow to provide additional assistance.”
Ahead of the announcement South Carolina representatives Heather Bauer and Jermaine Johnson also spoke, asking the public for their help donating funds and needed items to assist the survivors through the Central South Carolina chapter of the American Red Cross.