Young Sisters Die in Myersville House Fire
By: Shayna Halper
Updated: February 3, 2013
MYERSVILLE, MD- More than 75 firefighters responded to the house fire that took the lives of two little girls and sent four family members to the hospital.
A neighbor told WHAG what she saw when she first saw the fire.
"There was a glow and all of a sudden I saw flames going up to the second floor. It was just all engulfed in flames, pouf, smoke everywhere," says Lois Willard.
Willard lives across the street and sheltered the Lillard's after their house caught fire and took the lives of 6-year-old Sophie and 3-year-old Madigan. An autopsy revealed both died from smoke inhalation. The deaths were ruled accidental.
"I'm told the house was fully engulfed in flames when the firefighters arrived on the scene," says Cpl. Jennifer Bailey, of the Frederick County Sheriff's Department.
Willard says the mother of the children, 33-year-old Angela Lillard told her she heard a noise and noticed the front of the house on fire.
"She heard popping and she walked out in the hallway, the front room was engulfed, she ran the baby outside and set it on the driveway," says Willard.
Willard says Angela told her she then ran upstairs, and got 8-year-old Morgan out of the house from the balcony with the help of another neighbor.
"And all she kept saying is 'Where are my babies? Get my babies out.' Jack, the husband, was up on the roof trying to get the babies, and she just kept saying it was so hot in there," says Willard.
Officials say it took firefighters almost two hours to put out the flames and the devastation and loss of the two little girls continues to burn throughout the community.
"When you're in a small town, you know, you try to help each other out. There's too many cold people out there, and I just feel like, this could happen to any of us," says Debra Ryan of Myersville.
A firefighter from the Middletown Volunteer Fire Company was also taken to the hospital for treatment.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
A neighbor told WHAG what she saw when she first saw the fire.
"There was a glow and all of a sudden I saw flames going up to the second floor. It was just all engulfed in flames, pouf, smoke everywhere," says Lois Willard.
Willard lives across the street and sheltered the Lillard's after their house caught fire and took the lives of 6-year-old Sophie and 3-year-old Madigan. An autopsy revealed both died from smoke inhalation. The deaths were ruled accidental.
"I'm told the house was fully engulfed in flames when the firefighters arrived on the scene," says Cpl. Jennifer Bailey, of the Frederick County Sheriff's Department.
Willard says the mother of the children, 33-year-old Angela Lillard told her she heard a noise and noticed the front of the house on fire.
"She heard popping and she walked out in the hallway, the front room was engulfed, she ran the baby outside and set it on the driveway," says Willard.
Willard says Angela told her she then ran upstairs, and got 8-year-old Morgan out of the house from the balcony with the help of another neighbor.
"And all she kept saying is 'Where are my babies? Get my babies out.' Jack, the husband, was up on the roof trying to get the babies, and she just kept saying it was so hot in there," says Willard.
Officials say it took firefighters almost two hours to put out the flames and the devastation and loss of the two little girls continues to burn throughout the community.
"When you're in a small town, you know, you try to help each other out. There's too many cold people out there, and I just feel like, this could happen to any of us," says Debra Ryan of Myersville.
A firefighter from the Middletown Volunteer Fire Company was also taken to the hospital for treatment.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
Several fundraising efforts have started to benefit the family:
- Donations of jackets, clothing, personal care items, homegoods, toys and gift cards can be made at Jumbo's Pumpkin Patch, Candlelight Floral Designs, Monocacy Valley Montessori and Carroll Creek Montessori schools.
- Fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Chick-fil-A at 5501 Urbana Pike in Frederick.
- Frederick County Bank set up the Lillard Family Recovery Fund. Cash or check donations can be made at any branch.
- Fit for Life Boot Camp is raising founds online at giveforward.com.
- The Creative Children's Center at 603 Main St. in Myersville is accepting donations from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
